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Paul Unongo, a former Minister of Power & Steel in the Second Republic and one of the leaders in Middle belt region is dead.
Unongo, who is an indigene of Jato Aka in the Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, reportedly died on Tuesday in Jos, the Plateau State capital at the age of 87.
A close family source who confirmed his demise said that an official statement will be made in respect to that.
“Yes Wantaregh Paul Unongo died today Tuesday but I cannot say more than that because I am not authorised to do so. But our family will issue a formal statement on the development,” he said.
Another source in the state, who did not want to be mentioned, confirmed his death.
The late Unongo aspired to govern Benue State in 1983 but lost to Aper Aku of blessed memory.
Until his death, he was the chairman of the Governing Council of Nigerian Educational Research Development Council as appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Born on September 26, 1935, Unongo belonged to the Kwaghngise-Anure-Abera ancestry in Turan, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
The elder statesman was the pioneer Secretary General of the defunct Nigerian People’s Party (NPP) and an ally of the late Nnamdi Azikiwe.
In 2017, he succeeded Maitama Sule as the chairman of the Northern Elders’ Forum.