Bashir Tofa, a former presidential candidate, is dead.

Thelagostimes gathered that  Tofa died in the early hours of Monday at the age of 74 after a protracted illness.

A close associate of the deceased, Magaji Galadima (Kachallan Kano), announced the death in a Facebook post.

Mr Galadima wrote: “Allahu akbar, we eventually lost Alh. Bashir Tofa. May Allah grant him eternal rest.”

Mr Tofa was the presidential candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in the June 12, 1993 election considered one of Nigeria’s freest elections.

Born in Kano on June 20, 1947, Mr Tofa had his primary education at Shahuci Junior Primary, Kano and continued at City Senior Primary School in Kano. From 1962 to 1966, he attended Provincial College, Kano.