Buhari, Atiku, Wike, others mourn as Ibrahim Mantu dies at 74.

 

PAULETTE ORJIME-Abuja

An ex_ deputy  President of the Senate from Plateau Central Senatorial District, Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu is dead.

 

The report reaching our correspondent revealed that the former Senator died of COVID-19 complication in a private facility at Gudu, Abuja in the early hours of today.

 

According to the family sources, late Senator  will be buried at the Gudu Cemetery in Abuja after the 2 o’clock prayer today.

 

Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu was born in Chanso village, Gindiri District, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on February 16, 1947. He attended the Gindiri Demonstration Primary School from 1955 – 1961 and obtained the First School Leaving Certificate.

 

The late Senator worked with the Public Works Department, PWD Jos, as a Stores Requisition Clerk from 1962 – 1963 before proceeding to the Gindiri Teachers College in 1964. On leaving Gindiri in 1967, he joined the Nigerian Tobacco Company Zaria in 1968 as a Quality Checker. He moved to BEAM, a Division of UAC Nigeria as a Kalamazoo Specialist Salesman in 1971.

 

Mantu studied on his own to obtain O’ level GCE and Diploma in Professional Salesmanship which facilitated his movement to John Holt Ltd. in 1973 as a Trainee-Manager. He was later confirmed as a substantive Manager. In 1976 Mantu became the General Manager of John Holt Ltd. Maiduguri Venture.

 

In 1977 the  late Senator was promoted and transferred to Lagos as Deputy General Manager, Building Materials Division, John Holt Ltd. He resigned in mid 1977 to join Plateau State Supply Company Ltd. as its first Commercial Manager.

 

Mantu holds a B.A. (Hons.) degree in Political Science from the Washington International University. He was awarded Honourary Doctorate Degrees of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, University of Jos, Madonna University, Okija and University of Applied Sciences and Management Port Novo, Benin Republic.

 

The late Senator  joined politics in 1978. He was elected Deputy State Chairman of NPN in Plateau State in 1980. He was a founding member of the Liberal Convention.

 

Mantu’s overwhelming popularity saw him contesting the National Chairmanship of the N.R.C. in 1990 but was edged out in a surreptitious power play. In 1993, Mantu was the Director General of National Republican Convention Presidential Campaign Organisation.

 

In 1998, he was elected the National Publicity Secretary of the defunct UNCP and was later elected Senator on the platform of the same party.

 

This election was truncated by General Abdusalam Abubakar’s regime. In 1999, Mantu was re-elected in a fresh contest as Senator representing Plateau Central Senatorial district on the platform of the PDP.

 

On inauguration in 1999, Mantu was appointed Chairman Senate Committee on Information, the position he held till August 10, 2001, when he was elected Deputy President of the Senate. He was appointed Chairman, Joint National Assembly Constitution Review Committee from 2001 to 2003 and 2003 to 2007 respectively.

 

He was Chairman of Policy Analysis and Research Project (PARP) which metamorphosed into National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS). Though a Legislator, Mantu handled so many executive assignments.

 

Prominent among these were his appointment by President Obasanjo as Amirul Hajj twice (2005 and 2006) and Chairman Palliative Consolidated Committee for Cushioning Measures, the position he used to stop the planned “mother of all strikes” by the Nigeria Labour Congress.

 

He is a member of the Board of Trustees, BOT and National Executive Committee, NEC of the PDP.

 

Mantu was the Chairman of the Elders Advisory Council of Goodluck Support Group and PDP Project Reloaded.

 

He is Patron and Chairman of so many Governing Councils of Public and Political Institutions.

 

Mantu has received over twenty chieftaincy titles from highly placed traditional rulers across the country.

 

The late Senator was a delegate representing the North-Central Zone at the 2014 National Conference

 

 

 

PRESIDENT BUHARI MOURNS FORMER DEPUTY SENATE PRESIDENT, IBRAHIM MANTU

 

 

 

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 Aseembly, 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.

 

 

Atiku mourns Ibrahim Mantu, former DSP

 

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has received with shock and deep regrets the loss of Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu, a former Deputy Senate President and a seasoned Nigerian politician.

 

In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja Tuesday, Atiku Abubakar said his association with Mantu dates 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.

 

He noted 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 will miss Senator Mantu ‘s political experiences which spanned over four decades.

 

Atiku Abubakar prayed to Allah to forgive Ibrahim Mantu’s sins, console the family he left behind, the government and people of Plateau State and the Senate  which he served with distinction.

 

 

Gov Wike Mourns Senator Ibrahim Mantu

 

 

 

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo 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.”

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Reps Minority Caucus Mourns Sen. Mantu

 

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

 

 

 

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives mourns the death of eminent statesman and former Deputy President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Ibrahim Mantu.

 

Senator Mantu according to the Minority Leader Hon. Ndudi Elumelu’s statement was an exceptionally patriotic leader, exemplary democrat, very brilliant and resourceful legislator, who deployed his energy, experience and skills in serving our dear fatherland.

 

As a lawmaker and particularly, as the Deputy Senate President, Senator Mantu played pivotal roles in upholding the principle of separation of powers while enhancing lawmaking and oversight functions of the legislature for good governance in our country.

 

His roles as the Chairman of the Joint National Assembly Constitution Review Committee from 2001 to 2003 and from 2003 to 2007 respectively also ensured a strong groundwork for the successful amendments to the 1999 Constitution to further reflect the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians.

 

The Minority caucus is deeply saddened that Senator Mantu exited the scene at this critical time when our nation needs his wealth of experience and sense of patriotism the most.

 

Our caucus commiserates with the Mantu family, the institution of the Senate, the leadership and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the people of Plateau Central Senatorial zone as well as the government and people of Plateau state in general.

 

Elumelu prayed to God to grant Senator Mantu his mercies as well as give his family and the nation the fortitude to bear the loss.