By Segun Olatunji and Mustapha Salihu, Published: Tuesday, 6 Apr 2010
The Kano State Governor, Malam
The umbrella Northern socio-political organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum, and some other prominent politicians and activists on Monday in Kaduna said that the sudden death of the former civilian governor of old Kano State, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, would negatively affect the quality of politicking and political discourse in Nigeria.
The ACF said in a text message sent to our correspondent by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, that it received the news of Rimi’s death with “a heavy heart,” adding that his demise would deprive Kano State and the Nigerian nation of “a veritable source of politics of mass participation where people’s votes count.”
The ACF stated that the legacies left behind by the late politician would continue to speak volumes of his personality, especially with regard to his commitment to grass roots politics.
It added that Nigerians would greatly miss Rimi’s charisma, stressing that the best way to immortalise him would be for the Federal Government to institute electoral reform that would reflect the late politician’s suggestions in such areas as immunity clause, state independent electoral commissions, management of joint state/local government account, the number of political parties and the prosecution of corrupt persons.
The forum further described the demise of Rimi as a great and irreparable loss to his family, the people of Kano State and the entire Nigerian nation.
The ACF therefore prayed God to grant Nigerians and the Rimi family the fortitude to bear the loss of the late politician.
The forum’s statement reads, “The Arewa Consultative Forum has received the sudden death of Alhaji Abubakar Rimi with a heavy heart. The death of the former governor of Kano State has robbed the state and the nation of a veritable source of politics of mass participation where people’s votes count.
“His contributions to democracy that were premised on the triple foundation of liberty, justice and common decency would greatly be missed by all and sundry. And so, the best way to remember former governor Abubakar Rimi is for those charged with the task of electoral and law reform to reflect Alhaji Rimi’s suggestions as they affect the place of existing immunity clause, state electoral commissions, current management of state/local government account in the states, existing number of political parties and punishment of corrupt persons in our laws.
“May Allah provide members of his family, the government and people of Kano State and the nation the fortitude to endure what cannot be changed. After all, death is a necessary end and it would come when it would come. May his soul rest in peace.”
Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, who is currently on an official trip to the United States, has described the death of the former governor of Kano State and frontline politician, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, as a tragic and big loss to the people of the state and the nation in general.
Shekarau, who reacted through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Mallam Sule Yau Sule, described the late politician as a nationalist and political icon whose ideology is being adhered to by many politicians in the country..
“It is a tragic and big loss not only to Kano, but the nation in general as he was a nationalist and a political icon whose ideology is being emulated by many,” Shekarau stated.
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