Follow Us on Google
Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto, Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye and Godwin Tsa Abuja
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari, Sokoto Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, have described the death of former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Inuwa Abdulkadir as a great loss to the country.
Abdulkadir died at the age of 54 yesterday morning at the Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, where he was on admission.
Until his death, he was the immediate past vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He is survived by two wives and nine children.
The funeral prayer led by the Sokoto State Grand Khadi, Khadi Tambari Usman, was attended by hundreds of Muslim faithful, including the state Deputy Governor Alhaji Munir Daniya.
Others at the event were Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Aminu Achida, Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Sa’idu Umar, members of House of Representative and the state House of Assembly.
National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Emmanuel Yawe in a statement said: “He was a prominent national politician who amongst others served Nigeria in the position of Minister for Youth and Social Welfare. He was also the National Vice Chairman of his political party, the APC. In the ACF we remember him as a perfect gentleman, very knowledgeable and yet humble. These attributes he put to use as he nurtured the ACF in its infant days.”
The APC in a statement by Yekini Nabena, said the party had lost a grassroots politician, true progressive and distinguished personality who served the party and country meritoriously and at the highest level.
“In grief, we urge all to remember and be comforted by the positive impact and indelible strides the late Inuwa Abdulkadir left during his time on earth.”
President Muhammadu Buhari said the late Abdulkadir’s humility, maturity and penchant for facilitating reconciliation would be sorely missed at a time the APC was rebuilding and repositioning to deliver on its promises.
Special Adviser to the President Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina in a statement, quoted Buhari as urging party members to always remember and project legacies of putting the country first.
He noted that the former member of the National Working Committee of the party, who served as Vice Chairman, North West, played a prominent role in the creation and sustenance of the party.
Buhari condoled with family members, friends and political associates of the party stalwart and prayed that the Almighty God will receive the soul of the departed, and comfort his family.
Governor Tambuwal in a condolence letter described Inuwa Abdulkadir, “an unassuming, compassionate and reliable political ally and a colleague at the bar, he never wavered in his commitment to the welfare and development of the people of Sokoto State in particular and Nigeria in general.”
“Certainly, I am short of words to describe the passing of my brother and good friend with whom I share an inexplicable bond over the years. Abdulkadir and I have come a long way since our zestful childhood till now.
He fought brilliantly without anticipating reward. He was firm in his believe in fate, taking in his stride any unfortunate incident that could shake the faith of a lesser mortal.
A strong pillar upon which I more often than not rest my weight of worries, no doubt Nigeria and Sokoto have lost a true son, patriotic and upright, in Inuwa Abdulkadir.”
The governor added that Abdulkadir passed on at a time “when all of us in Sokoto needed him most, leaving a gap that would take sometime to fill.”
Tambuwal commiserated with the family of the deceased and prayed Allah to grant him abode in Aljanna Firdaus.
