News
Wike, PDP, Buhari, Obasanjo, Others Mourn Mantu
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike says he is profoundly shocked to learn of the abrupt death of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu.
The governor, who expressed the deepest sympathy of the government and people of Rivers State to the Mantu’s family, said the former Deputy Senate President’s public service was so distinguished and his sudden death a significant public loss.
“We are saddened by the death of Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu. We had the privilege of him inaugurating the Community Secondary School, Obeakpu-Ndoki, Rivers State in June, 2021, and we appreciated the support that he gave us. We send condolences to the entire Mantu’s family and pray to God to grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”
Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed sadness over the death of former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ibrahim Mantu.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, in Abuja, described late Mantu, as a “pillar in the PDP,” who could not be forgotten.
Mantu was reported to have died, yesterday morning in DIFF Medical Centre, Abuja, at the age of 74.
Ologbondiyan said that the PDP was devastated and inconsolable by the death of one of its leading elders and a member of its Board of Trustees (BoTs).
He said that Mantu’s death was a huge tragedy which had befallen not only the PDP but Nigeria at large.
“Sen. Mantu was a highly resourceful leader, an excellent lawmaker, exemplary democrat and dazzling political mobiliser; a very humble and detribalised statesman, who spent his life in innumerable sacrifices towards the unity, stability and economic development of our dear fatherland,’’ he said.
Ologbondiyan noted that late Mantu 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, and Deputy Senate President.
He also noted that the late deputy Senate president, who died, yesterday, played key roles in stabilising 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.
“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.
“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 impart in his calling as a patriot,’’ Ologbodiyan said.
The national publicity secretary said that as the PDP grieves, the meeting of its National Working Committee (NWC) earlier slated for yesterday had been rescheduled for today in honour of late Mantu.
“Our party commiserates with the Mantu family, the PDP fold in Plateau State, the people of Plateau Central as well as the entire state.
“The PDP also prays for God to grant eternal rest to the faithful departed and to the bereaved, the fortitude to bear this huge loss,’’ Ologbodiyan added.
Similarly, President Muhammadu Buhari has sent his condolences to family of former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, who died in Abuja.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, Buhari also commiserated with the people of Plateau State and National Assembly, the two constituencies he served in his lifetime.
“President Muhammadu Buhari condoles 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 commiserates with leaders and members of the National Assembly, friends and political associates of the former Deputy Senate President, who dedicated most of his life to service of his people.
“The President prays 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,” the statement reads.
Reacting, the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo 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, yesterday, 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.”
In the same vein, the former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, said he received with shock and deep regrets the death of a former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu.
In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, Atiku said his association with Mantu dated back to the era of military guided political transition programmes
The former Vice President noted that while he was in the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mantu was a leading political light in the Nigeria Republican Convention (NRC).
According to Atiku, Mantu, who until his passing away, was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party NEC, said, “was a friendly soul who loved Nigeria and promoted national unity”.
The Waziri Adamawa said that as Vice President, following the restoration of democratic rule, he worked together with Mantu, who was then the Deputy Senate President and others to stabilise the nascent democracy within the first tenure of the Fourth Republic.
“Mantu was very central in the management of the frosty relationship between the executive and the legislature in those difficult years of learning the nuances of democratic practice.”
He alluded to Mantu’s dogged and tenacious spirit which he said was instrumental in lifting him from humble beginnings to a life of statesmanship.
Atiku said that as a senator representing Plateau Central and a Deputy Senate President, Mantu saw his responsibility as going beyond the Plateau and the Senate chambers to the level of a nationalist who thought of Nigeria first.
He said that Nigeria would miss Senator Mantu‘s political experiences which spanned over four decades.
However, the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has reacted to the death of former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ibrahim Mantu.
Ortom, in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, yesterday, said the demise of Senator Mantu is a painful loss to Nigeria.
According to him, Mantu’s death occurred at a time the country urgently needs the wise counsel and experience of statesmen such as the former Deputy Senate President to help it overcome the current security and economic challenges.
The governor describes Senator Mantu as a true democrat and patriot who played a vital role in nursing the country’s nascent democracy from 1999 to where it is today.
He stated that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in particular, will deeply miss its former Board of Trustees member who made selfless contributions to the growth, unity and success of the party.
Ortom sympathized with the Mantu family, the government and the people of Plateau State, and prayed for God to grant the former Deputy Senate President eternal rest.
Mantu died in a private hospital in Abuja at about 2am, yesterday.
Mantu was said to have been ill for nine days.
The Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBE) has trained 1,000 newly recruited teachers with a view to raising standards in public primary and junior secondary schools in the state.
The two-day orientation and capacity building programme held in Port Harcourt introduced the teachers to civil service rules, classroom management practices, and professional conduct expected of educators in the state.
The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, told the newly recruited teachers that teaching demands more than academic qualifications, and called for discipline, diligence, and a strong commitment to service.
He described teaching as a noble profession that is central to the development of the state.
The recruitment, he said, reflects the government’s investment in children and long-term development.
“Education is the foundation of societal progress, and basic education is where that foundation is laid,” Nwagor stated.
He urged the teachers to shape the values and character of pupils during their most formative years.
He pledged continued support from the Ministry of Education through training, resources, and an environment that allows teachers to perform effectively.
Nwagor directed RSUBEB to reject transfer requests from rural to urban schools, saying the newly employed teachers have an obligation to serve where they are posted and help strengthen education in those communities.
In his opening remarks, the RSUBEB Chairman, Hon. Sam Oge, explained that the recruitment process began in 2023 under the previous board, adding that after assuming office, he consulted widely and secured Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s approval to complete the exercise.
Oge said the selection was competitive, with 1,000 candidates chosen from more than 5,000 applicants, and urged the teachers to treat the opportunity seriously and avoid lobbying for reposting.
He directed the teachers to resume at their assigned schools immediately, saying request for reposting will not be entertained.
The former RSUBEB Chairman, Ven. Dr. Fyneface Akah, who delivered the keynote address, described the orientation as the teachers’ formal entry into the civil service.
He urged them to be creative, purposeful, and open to learning on the job.
Akah stressed that teachers have a role in restoring values lost to moral decline, and urged them to model national values and see their work as a calling with lasting impact on the society.
He thanked the State Government for approving the recruitment, noting that the exercise will improve access to quality basic education across the State.
Akujobi Amadi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that no fewer than 1.4 million members of the National Youth Service Corps will be deployed for the 2027 general elections.
The Chairman of the commission, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), made this known on Monday during a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the NYSC, Brig Gen Olakunle Nafiu, at the Yakubu Gowon House, headquarters of the scheme, in Abuja.
Amupitan, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, described the meeting with the NYSC senior management team as more than a formal courtesy visit, saying it was also a mission of gratitude.
According to him, the NYSC remains a critical pillar in Nigeria’s democratic process.
He noted that corps members had participated in virtually every election cycle since 1999, stressing that, “INEC cannot conduct elections in Nigeria without the NYSC.
“As the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, I am honoured to discuss our collaborative efforts toward ensuring seamless and credible elections in Nigeria.
“You provide the heartbeat of our field operations. When we speak of election manpower, we are essentially speaking of corps members.
“They are the most dedicated, educated and patriotic election duty staff we have, and their presence at polling units brings a level of neutrality and public confidence that is irreplaceable.
“They form the backbone of our election processes, especially as ad hoc staff, whose dedication, discipline and patriotism are critical to the success of our elections,” he added.
Amupitan said institutional data from the 2023 general election showed the importance of the partnership between INEC and the NYSC.
He explained that INEC deployed about 1.2 million ad hoc staff for the 2023 elections, with over 70 per cent, nearly 850,000 personnel drawn from corps members and student volunteers.
Speaking on preparations for the 2027 elections, the INEC chairman said more than 1.4 million ad hoc staff would be engaged, with corps members making up the majority.
“For the 2027 general election, we will require 707,384 ad hoc staff for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.
“The same number will be needed for the governorship and Houses of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027, making a total of 1,414,768,” he said.
He added that INEC would also require 52,446 corps members for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, as well as by-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi and Kano states.
Amupitan said corps members accounted for nearly 90 per cent of Registration Area Officers and Presiding Officers in many states during previous elections.
“These young Nigerians did not just facilitate voting; they protected the sanctity of the ballot in 176,846 polling units across some of the most difficult terrains in the country,” he said.
He further praised the corps members for their role in off-cycle elections, particularly the Anambra governorship election and the FCT Area Council polls.
According to him, their digital proficiency contributed significantly to the seamless operation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System.
“In those exercises, it was the digital proficiency of corps members that ensured the seamless performance of our BVAS, proving they are the tech-savvy backbone of our modern democracy,” he added.
Amupitan acknowledged the sacrifices made by corps members during elections and assured that INEC would continue to work with the NYSC and security agencies to strengthen safety measures and welfare packages for them.
As the 2027 general election approaches, we are committed to ensuring adequate mobilisation and preparedness of NYSC members for this important national assignment,” he said.
He also noted that the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, scheduled for June 20 and August 15, respectively, alongside several by-elections, would serve as tests for innovations ahead of the 2027 elections.
Responding, Brig. Gen. Nafiu thanked INEC for its continued collaboration with the scheme.
He recalled that the Memorandum of Understanding between both organisations was signed in 2011 and had been periodically renewed.
Nafiu described corps members as credible, reliable and easily trainable manpower.
“The last batch of millennials will soon exit the scheme, leaving behind Gen Z corps members known for their digital savviness, which will benefit INEC,” he said.
He assured the commission of the NYSC’s continued support in both the 2027 general elections and upcoming off-cycle elections.
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