..As Ex-Deputy Senate President Mantu Buried In Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari and immediate past Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, have mourned ex-Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu.

The duo in separate condolence messages commiserated with Mantu’s immediate family and Plateau State Government on the demise of the former ranking Senator.

In his condolence message, the President condoled with family of former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, joining Plateau State Government and indigenes in mourning the passing of the renowned politician.

President Buhari, in a release issued on Tuesday by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, also commiserated with leaders and members of the National Aseembly, friends and political associates of the former Deputy Senate President, who dedicated most of his life to service of his people.

The President prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed, believing his legacy of reconciliation and promotion of peaceful co-existence will always be remembered, especially in bringing more harmony in his state and the country at large.

On his part, Ekweremadu, expressed sadness and shock over the death of his predecessor, Senator Mantu, noting that Nigeria had lost a legislative icon.
According to him, Mantu helped to shape the legislature in the current republic and also laid the foundation for the eventual successful amendments to the 1999 Constitution.

Reacting to the sad development vide a statement by his Media Adviser, Uche Anichukwu, Ekweremadu, who succeeded Mantu as Deputy President of the Senate in June 2007, said: “I received with a deep sense of loss the passing on of my predecessor, the late Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Mantu. This is a heavy loss to the nation, particularly the legislature where his impact was greatly felt.

“He played critical roles in reinventing the legislature with the advent of the current democratic era. In particular, as Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman of the Joint National Assembly Committee on Constitution Amendment, Senator Mantu will be remembered for pioneering the constitution amendment process in the current democratic dispensation in response to agitations over the many inadequacies and contradictions of the 1999 Constitution.

“Although no successful amendment was recorded in the Fifth National Assembly under him, obviously due to lack of template of procedure and experience by a National Assembly that was just truly re-emerging after decades of military rule, the challenges encountered by that attempt ably chaired by Distinguished Senator Mantu helped us to chart a procedure, avoid some pitfalls, and ultimately break the jinx in the Sixth National Assembly. Since then we have gone on to record many critical amendments especially in the areas of electoral reform and institutions building to deepen and strengthen our democracy”.

Also, former President, Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday, expressed shock over the death of the former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu.

Obasanjo said that the late Deputy Senate President served Nigeria meritoriously and accorded his administration reform agenda between 1999 and 2007.

Obasanjo in a condolence letter addressed to Mantu’s son, Musa, on behalf of the family on Tuesday, stated that he valued his unequivocal support to his government.

The former President in the letter issued to newsmen by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, also recalled Mantu’s role to terminate the move to change the government in Sao Tome and Principe in 2003.

The statement read, “He used his God-given position to properly ground the democratic process and engender the stability, peace, growth and development of our fatherland, Nigeria, at the time. He operated and conducted himself with courage, conviction, consistency and the fear of God.

“It is also on record that Senator Mantu was part of my delegation that championed the termination of the unpalatable and criminal adventure of some over-ambitious elements in Sao Tome and Principe on July 16, 2003, with all efforts deployed to restore the country to democratic governance based on the principles of accountability, transparency, respect for human rights and the rule of law. His was a life of great purpose, true service, and solid accomplishments.”

The former President emphasised that “no doubt, your late father will be sorely missed by those who knew him, particularly his colleagues in the Senate and surely by his State and his friends.

“Thus, as you mourn his demise, I would urge that you take consolation in knowing that he lived a fulfilled life and left behind a good name that you should all be proud of.”

The Chairman of the Senate committee on Environment described Senator Mantu as an institution builder, recalling that the deceased lawmaker was the pioneer Chairman of the Policy Analysis and Research Project (PARP), a capacity building project for the National Assembly, which he later inherited as Mantu’s successor in 2007 and helped to transform into the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).

He also described Mantu as a cosmopolitan and deft politician, who while in the legislature, saw the entire nation as his constituency.

“Senator Mantu was deeply embedded in the politics of not only the nation and our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party, but also in the politics of the apex legislature.

“Give it to him also, he was a man who spoke his mind, a dynamic, detribalised, flamboyant, and an engaging politician. There was never a dull moment with him. He will be highly missed”, the ranking Senator added.

In the same vein, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed shock over the death of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu.

The party said it was heartbroken by the death of Mantu who was one of its elders and member of its Board of Trustees (BoT).

The party in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said, “Our party is indeed devastated and inconsolable over this huge tragedy which have befallen not only the PDP but our entire nation, Nigeria, at large.

“Senator Mantu was a highly resourceful leader, an excellent lawmaker, exemplary democrat and dazzling political mobiliser; a very humble and detribalized statesman, who spent his life in innumerable sacrifices towards the unity, stability and economic development of our dear fatherland”.

The PDP recalled the incalculable contributions by Senator Mantu, who brought his love for the nation as well as his skills to bear in the Senate where he served as Chairman, Senate Committee on Information as well as the Deputy Senate President.

According to the PDP, “As the Deputy Senate President, Senator Mantu played key roles in stabilizing the Senate for greater legislative productivity. His political dexterity as the Chairman of Joint National Assembly Constitution Review Committee from 2001 to 2003 and from 2003 to 2007, laid the strong foundation for successful reviews of the constitution to reflect the aspirations of Nigerians.

“Senator Mantu was a pillar in the PDP and our party will never forget his sacrifices to ensure the success and growth of the PDP at all levels.

“Above all, Senator Mantu was a good man, a God-fearing soul, who spared nothing in ensuring the wellbeing of others above personal pursuits.”, the party said.

According to the PDP, “Senator Mantu’s death is indeed a big blow to our party, but we draw solace in the fact that he lived a fulfilled life and made impact in his calling as a patriot”.

Ologbondiyan said that in view of the fact that the PDP grieves at this moment, the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) earlier slated for Tuesday, August 17, 2021 had been rescheduled to hold tomorrow, Wednesday, August 18, 2021 in honour of Senator Mantu.

The party commiserated with the Mantu family, the PDP fold in Plateau state, the people of Plateau Central as well as the entire state.

It also prayed to God to grant eternal rest to the departed and to the bereaved, the fortitude to bear the huge loss.

In the meantime, the former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, who died in the early hours of Tuesday, has been buried in Abuja.

He was aged 74 years.

Family members, friends and political associates had converged at the Sheikh Khalid mosque in the nation’s capital, where prayers were held for the deceased.

People gather in Abuja for the burial of former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu on August 17, 2021. Credit: Sodiq Adelakun/Channels Television.

Dignitaries who attended the prayer session include the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso among others.

The interment was held at the Gudu cemetery also in Abuja.