The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has paid tribute to the former Petroleum Resources Minister, Prof. Tam David-West, who died last Monday at the University Teaching Hospital in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at the age of 83.
Tinubu described the former minister and Professor of Virology as a true nationalist and social critic who always spoke truth to power. In a condolence message on David-West’s passing which was issued yesterday by his Media Office, Tinubu said he would personally miss the former minister because he was a leader he admired and regularly exchanged ideas with.
According to the statement, “Prof. Tam David-West was a nationalist; a leader of substance and social critic, who regularly spoke truth to power. His voice was always that of caution and restraint to steer the leadership away from the path of unconstitutionality and danger.
“He was highly-principled and morally upright. Somebody who served as Minister of Petroleum and Energy in the Muhammadu Buhari military government and won Buhari’s respect and admiration must be a man of integrity and honesty.
“West and I often speak to interface on issues as well as to exchange ideas. He was one intellectual and leader I admired. I will personally miss him.”
“I mourn with his family, both immediate and extended. I mourn with the people of Buguma, Kalabari Kingdom, the government and people of Rivers State and Nigeria, which he served selflessly.
“My prayer is that God Almighty will grant him eternal rest. I also hope and pray that his good legacies will continue to endure.”
