Former Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, Chief Ojo Madueke passed on in Abuja Wednesday evening after he collapsed at the Abuja Airport on his way from the United States of America.

Madueke, who arrived Nigeria after attending the graduation ceremony of a relation, was billed to celebrate his wife's 70th birthday on Friday July 1.

The Senator representing Abia South, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, confirmed that Madueke collapsed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja having arrived from the US and that he was rushed to the Turkish Hospital in Abuja where he gave up the ghost.

He was, in April, appointed the Secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Chairman of PDP's BoT, Senator Walid Jibril, expresed shock and disbelief at the news adding that he had not been officially informed of the development. He said he was currently in Saudi Arabia to observe Hadj.

Madueke had served as Nigeria's Minister of Transport under former President Olusegun Obasanjo and later as National Secretary of the POD before being posted to Canada as Nigeria's Ambassador.