A former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, has died from a kidney-related ailment.
He died coincidentally on his 80th birthday in the early hours of Thursday.
His death, which was confirmed by doctors, was announced by one of his personal assistants, Ovumedia Tobore, through an SMS.
Tobore said Chief Kokori’s health relapsed on Monday and he was placed on life support.
The octogenarian cried out from his hospital bed on November 9 that he had been neglected and abandoned to die despite his contributions to the growth of democracy in the country.
Kokori, in a distress call, with a pain-filled voice around 12:40 am, lamented that life was ebbing out of him where he was receiving treatment for his kidney-related ailment.
Kokori, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, particularly decried abandonment by NUPENG and the nation at a Warri hospital.
He had also stated that he would not mind being flown abroad for better medical care.
Chief Kokori’s November outcry attracted top government functionaries including Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, who paid an unexpected visit to him on Friday, November 11. Oborevwori picked up the bills as well as those of two other patients at the hospital.
Officials of NUPENG, a delegation from former Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege and several others also visited the former Labour leader.
Follow-up reports on his response to the treatment had given hope that the octogenarian was recuperating and would return home soonest.
Sadly, he had a relapse and later succumbed to the ailment on Thursday.
Chief Kokori who authored the book, ‘Frank Kokori: The Struggle for June 12,’ hailed from Ovu community in Ethiope East council area of Delta State.
