Gbenga Aluko, a former Ekiti South Senatorial district representative at the National Assembly between 1999 and 2003 is dead at the age of 58.
A native of Ode-Ekiti and governorship aspirants in the 2018 election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, was reported to have died at an undisclosed hospital after slumping in his office on Saturday in Abuja.
A family source according to the THEWILL said that Senator Aluko was not sick nor did he exhibit symptoms of any ailment, but that he died of a heart attack as he complained of serious chest pain before he slumped.
Born Daniel Olugbenga Aluko on 20 July 1963,; he was the son of Professor Sam Aluko, a prominent Nigerian Economist.
His Profile
He attended Federal Government College, Ilorin, and then was admitted to the University of Benin, graduating in 1982 with a degree in Geography and Regional Planning. He went on to the College of Energy and Petroleum Studies, Oxford, England for a Post Graduate course in International Oil Trading and Pricing. Positions held between 1983 and 1999 included Managing Director/CEO of HYGYNIX, Executive Director of Baseline Petroleum and Chemicals and Executive Chairman of Independent Strategists. He was appointed Special Assistant to the Minister of Transport and Aviation and General Manager of Nigeria Shipper’s Council from 1993 to 1995.
After taking his seat in the Senate in June 1999 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Aluko was appointed to committees on Selection, Senate Services (vice chairman), Aviation, Women Affairs, Finance & Appropriation, Social Development & Sports and Local & Foreign Debts.
He was appointed Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate and was Vice Chairman of the Gas Committee and Chairman of the Petroleum Committee.
Aluko was opposed to plans to privatize the Nigerian Mint. He was appointed Chairman of an ad hoc committee to investigate the controversial closure of Savannah Bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
After leaving the Senate, Aluko continued in private enterprise, holding a controlling interest in Alstegg and Midlands, a Civil Engineering Firm and serving as a Director of Crest Healthcare, Consultant to DFID on Parliamentary Matters and Director of Government Affairs with Chevron Nigeria.
He was survived with a wife and five children.
