The former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Garba Gadi, has passed away at the age of 69 following a protracted illness.

Family sources confirmed that the elder statesman died in the early hours of Tuesday at an undisclosed hospital in India, where he had been receiving medical treatment.

Arrangements are currently underway by the family and the state government to repatriate his remains to Nigeria for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.

Alhaji Garba Gadi served as the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State from 2007 to 2011 alongside former Governor Isa Yuguda under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). His tenure was marked by a highly publicized political battle in 2009 when he fiercely resisted joining Governor Yuguda in decamping to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Gadi’s refusal to leave his original party led to an impeachment plot by the Bauchi State House of Assembly, resulting in his controversial removal from office.

Undeterred by the political pressure, Gadi challenged his impeachment in court. In a landmark judgment delivered in 2010, the Bauchi State High Court declared his removal unconstitutional, null and void, ordering his immediate reinstatement and the payment of all his withheld entitlements—a verdict widely celebrated as a victory for the rule of law and the independence of the deputy governor’s office in Nigeria.

Following his exit from public office, Gadi remained a respected political leader and an advocate for constitutional democracy. Tributes have begun pouring in from political associates, state officials, and community leaders across Bauchi State, honoring his legacy of political integrity, principled leadership, and unwavering commitment to democratic tenets.