NADECO Loses Dan  Suleiman

The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO ) yesterday  formally announced the painful and most unexpected death of one of its founders and titans, Commodore Dan Suleiman (rtd).

NADECO in a statement said they were formally informed by the current President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr. Bitrus

Porgu, that  their  consistently courageous, nationalistic, genuinely patriotic Dan, passed on to eternity by noon  yesterday.

NADECO said: “Our indefatigable leader, Dan was born in Guyuk, now in Adamawa State, in 1942, so he was 81years old at his transition to glory.

Cmdr. Dan Suleiman(DS)’s  life and times was rich for good purposes and services to God and humanity.

“First, DS was a member of the General Murtala Mohammed’s Supreme Military Council (SMC) between July 1975 and March 1976 and was Military Governor of Plateau State from March 1976 to July 1978 after the State was created from part of the old Benue Plateau State.

“Second, he was appointed into the Cabinet of General Yakubu Gowon in January 1975 as Federal Commissioner for Special Duties, and he was instrumental in founding the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). After the overthrow of Gen.Gowon’s government  by Gen. M. Mohammed, DS was again appointed Federal Commissioner for Health.

“Third, when Gen. Babangida annulled the victory of Bashorun MKO Abiola at the 1993 Presidential election and General Abacha eventually also established his military dictatorship, DS opposed and resisted the annulment and its new strongman.

“Four, as a leading light of the Middle Belt Forum Leadership, when the Forum decided at a meeting held in Chief D.B. Zang home in Jos to attend the preliminary meetings and consultations that birthed NADECO in Lagos, DS was one of the founders and titans of NADECO. He was a leading member of its apex body, Steering Committee, which was the Policy Decision Making body.

“Five, as a consequence of his leading role, Gen. Abacha was extremely pained at DS membership of NADECO and tried severally to win back DS but failed. In fact, at a number of critical meetings held in DS’ Lagos home in Victoria Island, Gen. Abacha exploited the friendship between the late founder of the Guardian Newspapers, Chief Alex Ibru who was his Minister of Internal Affairs to always reach NADECO through DS. But NADECO rejected any formal meeting with the goggled Gen. Abacha, insisting on having an agenda and each side notifying the other side of its position on the agenda. Even when NADECO suggested an agenda and stated its positions on each agenda, Gen. Abacha only sent a Government Presidential jet to ferry us to Abuja and we rejected the offer.

“Six, DS had to be forced to go on exile in August 1994 when we had a reliable intelligence information that Gen. Abacha had spread his dragnet to arrest and or capture DS. It was a painful decision that we had to decide that DS must depart Nigeria that night. That decision was taken in my hide-out office which was Chief Olu Falae’s Osborne Office, Victoria Island.

“Seven, DS became the first Chairman of NADECO Abroad, then based in London. He only returned home on October 7, 1998 after the death of Gen. Abacha and the amnesty pronounced for all those in exile by Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar’s government. On his return he joined the group that formed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and held different posts including that of Nigerian Ambassador to the Soviet Union and President of the Middle Belt Forum. DS was a reliable, amiable and diligent leader whose vacuum will be difficult to fill. We commiserate with his children and family members and pray that God will soothe their pains with the balm from Gilead.”