14th January, 2015
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Adamawa State, Reverend Hakila Yerima, is dead.
He was said to have died of liver related disease in Gombe, north-east Nigeria.
Reports said the State Secretary of SDP, Dr. John Luka, confirmed the death of Yerima.
Luka said Yerima had on 27 December, 2014 written to inform the party about his desire to withdraw from the race due to failing health.
“I wish to tender my intention to withdraw my candidature in the forthcoming governorship election due to my failing health,” Yerima wrote in the letter and thanked the members of SDP for the confidence reposed in him and asked them to pick a credible candidate to replace him.
Luka said SDP has informed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and that the leadership of the party was making efforts to pick a new candidate.
Yerima died on 6 January, exactly a month after he picked the governorship ticket on 6 December, 2014.
The new SDP was formed by Olu Falae, a former finance minister.