Date Published: 09/10/11

Usman Jibrin was defender of due process – Atiku

Atiku Abubakar

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has described the death of late Group Captain Usman Jibrin as another fallen star in the pantheon of the nation’s moral heroes.

Usman Jibrin, who died in his sleep yesterday in his country home in Marmara, Nassarawa State was a military governor of old Kaduna state during the military regimes of Generals Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo.

Atiku said in a statement by his Media Office in Abuja yesterday that the late Usman Jibril was a disciplined military officer, who was not carried away by the lucre of political power but maintained a principled stand on issues throughout his time in public office.

“As a military governor of the old Kaduna State, Group Captain Jibrin was a dedicated administrator and leader who did not genuflect before higher authorities for personal survival but stood for due process required in the management of public affairs. As a consequence, he lost both the office of Governor and his Commission as a senior military officer,” Atiku said.

“It is common knowledge that his principled disposition led to his early exit from public office as a Governor in Kaduna State and as a board member in the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF),” Atiku said.

He paid glowing tribute to Jibrin’s contributions to strenghtening our democracy and community service.

Atiku prayed the Almighty Allah to reward his good soul and grant the family he left behind the fortitude to bear the great loss.