By Ajani Okanlawon
President Goodluck Jonathan and President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, Wednesday expressed regret at the death of former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusuf.
The politician died in his Abuja home on Wednesday night and was buried on Thursday according to Islamic rites.
He was aged 85.
Jonathan, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, commiserates with the government and people of Yusuf’s home Katsina State as well as Yusuf’s family and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on the demise of the respected leader of the cultural and political association.
“The President shares their grief as they mourn the eminent Nigerian who served his country dutifully throughout his successful career in the Nigerian Police, and later on, as a political leader and elder statesman.
“The President believes that MD Yusuf, as he was fondly called by his friends and associates, will long be remembered for his outstanding political courage and exemplary determination during Nigeria’s transition to democracy after years of military rule.
“President Jonathan recalls that as leader of the Grassroots Democratic Movement at that time, the late MD Yusuf embodied some of the best values of bravery and patriotism.
“The President prays that Almighty Allah will grant his soul eternal rest and comfort all who mourn him,” Abati’s statement reads.
In his reaction, Buhari said Yusuf died at a point his valuable advice was still needed by Nigerian leaders.
General Buhari recalled the role of MD Yusuf in Nigeria’s democratic struggle during the military politics of self-succession, which brought to the fore his courage to speak even if he was standing alone.
According to Buhari, despite the constriction of the democratic space, the late MD Yusuf was the only politician who established his own political party to challenge a military self-succession agenda.
Buhari recalled that only an indomitable democrat like the late M D Yusuf could have taken that personal risk.
He prayed to Allah to forgive Yusuf’s shortcomings and reward his good deeds with Aljannah (Paradise).
The late MD Yusuf served as Inspector General of Police from 1976 to 1979.
He was chairman of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in 1994 when a consortium led by Halliburton was bidding for a contract to construct a LNG export facility in competition with the US corporation Bechtel.
Yusuf also headed the GDM during the period of transition to democracy launched by General Sani Abacha in 1997–1998. The organisation had a left wing orientation.
In 2000, he became chairman of the Northern cultural and political association, the Arewa Consultative Forum.
