Atiku Describes Yar’Adua as Man of Peace

Atiku Describes Yar’Adua as Man of Peace

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described former president, late Umaru Yar’Adua, as a man of peace and vision, nine years after his passing.

Atiku, in a statement on Sunday, said that in this period when Nigeria was facing almost unprecedented violence and insecurity, the world would remember that it was President Yar’Adua who bequeathed peace to the Niger Delta through his futuristic and visionary amnesty and rehabilitation programme.

The former vice president said that single action saw an unprecedented improvement in the performance of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry which led to record-breaking 5% GDP growth.

He said, “On May 5, 2010, Nigeria lost a man of peace and a leader with a vision in the person of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

“The late President Yar’Adua was a man I was closely connected to. First, because his late brother, the great Tafida of Katsina, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, was my political mentor who taught both myself and Umaru, the ropes in politics. Obviously, with Umaru, the apple did not fall far from the tree.

“And secondly, because we worked very, very closely when he was the Governor of Katsina State at the time I was Vice President to our leader, President Olusegun Obasanjo.”

Beyond that, Atiku stressed that Yar’Adua was an advocate and proponent of the Rule of Law and the doctrine of Separation of Powers, adding that his administration was the only administration that did not suffer from Executive-Legislative tension in this Fourth Republic.

He added, “I am proud of what he achieved and the fact that such a decent leader was produced by my political family (the Yar’Adua political family) and my political party (the Peoples Democratic Party).

“May the Almighty Allah continue to shine His Noor (Light) on the face of our late dear President Umaru Yar’Adua as we mark 9 years of his passing and may Allah (SWT) grant him al-Jannah Firdaus.”

Atiku also prayed that God continues to bless the family he left behind.

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