President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with family of former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, joining Plateau State Government and indigenes in mourning the passing of the renowned politician.
Buhari, in a condolence message by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, on Tuesday in Abuja, commiserated with leaders and members of the National Aseembly, friends and political associates of the deceased.
The president noted that Mantu dedicated most of his life to service of his people.
According to him, Mantu’s 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.
He prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed.
The late Mantu was born in Chanso village, Gindiri District, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau on February 16, 1947.
He attended the Gindiri Demonstration Primary School from 1955 – 1961 and obtained the First School Leaving Certificate.
He 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 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.
Mantu joined politics in 1978 and was elected Deputy State Chairman of NPN in Plateau in 1980.
He was a founding member of the Liberal Convention.
Mantu contested for the National Chairmanship of the NRC in 1990 but lost.
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 elected Senator on the platform of PDP.
On inauguration in 1999, he 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 many executive assignments.
Until his death in Abuja on Tuesday morning, he was a member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) and National Executive Committee (NEC) of PDP.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has received with shock and deep regrets the loss of Mantu.
In a statement by his media office in Abuja on Tuesday, Atiku 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, “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 Plateau State 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.
Atiku prayed to Allah to forgive Mantu’s sins, console the family he left behind, the government and people of Plateau State and the Senate which he served with distinction.
Former Senate President, David Mark, expressed shock and sadness over the demise of Mantu.
Mark, in a statement by his Media Aide, Paul Mumeh, on Tuesday in Minna, said Mantu’s death was a devastating loss to the political class.
He noted that the former lawmaker died at a time when his wealth of experience, wisdom and services were most needed to navigate through the murky political terrain.
Mark described Mantu as a flamboyant leader, who brought panache, character and sagacity to the political space.
The former Senate president stated: “In Mantu, I have lost a friend, brother and compatriot who believed in the sanctity of our unity and ideals of nationhood.
“Mantu played a politics of inclusiveness, fairness, equity and justice. He was a politician who built bridges of understanding across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
“He was a political leader of high repute. He stood to be counted when it mattered. His death is indeed one too many. He will sorely be missed.
“I am, however, consoled that Mantu lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation,”Mark said.
The former Senate president prayed God in His infinite mercies to grant the deceased eternal rest and his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State described Mantu as a grassroots politician who did everything within his power to serve and empower the people.
This is contained in a statement by Makut Macham, the state Director of Press and Public Affairs in Jos on Tuesday.
Lalong said that the death of Mantu, who is the Wazirin Pyem, is a great loss to Plateau and Nigeria at large.
”The news of the demise of the elder statesman and erudite politician was received with a heavy heart, recalling his enormous contributions to the socio-political development of the state and the nation at large.
”The late senator earned his place in Nigerian politics through active involvement and with a great connection to the youths whom he mentored not only in politics, but in his service to humanity,” he said.
He said that the state would miss the voice of peace and unity as well as an advocate of social cohesion and tolerance which the late deputy senate represented particularly during the trying moments of its history.
‘’Until his death, he continued to avail the government of his wealth of experience and knowledge in running the affairs of the people,” he said.
The governor said that the state would remain grateful for his political representation as two-term senator representing Plateau Central Zone where he emerged deputy senate president and did a lot to project and protect the interests of Plateau State at the red chambers.
He said Mantu attracted many projects and programmes of the Federal Government to the state and also ensured that Plateau citizens were represented at various levels of the federal administration.
Lalong condoled with the widow of the deceased, his children, people of Pyem Chiefdom and the entire state over the death of the late political leader “whose contributions to the growth of democracy in Nigeria remained indelible.”
He also prayed for God to forgive his sins and grant his soul eternal rest.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed sadness over Mantu’s death.
The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday in Abuja, described Mantu as a “pillar in the PDP,” who could not be forgotten.
Mantu was reported to have died on Tuesday morning in an Abuja hospital 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 (BoT).
He said that Mantu’s death was a huge tragedy which had befallen not only the PDP but Nigeria at large.
“Senator 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 on Tuesday, 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 Tuesday had been rescheduled for Wednesday in honour of 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.
