Buhari, Atiku extol MD Yusuf, say he was an indomitable democrat
As Nigerians continue to pay tribute to Late Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusuf, a former Inspector General of police, the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari has described the death of the former IG as a great loss to Nigeria’s democratic struggle.
Reacting to the demise of Yusuf in a statement in Abuja, the President-elect noted with deep regret that Yusuf died at a point his valuable advice was still badly needed by Nigerian leaders.
General Buhari recalled the role of M D Yusuf in Nigeria’s democratic struggle during the military politics of self-succession, which brought to the fore his courage to speak even if he was standing alone.
According to Buhari, despite the constriction of the democratic space, the late M D Yusuf was the only politician who established his own political party to challenge a military self-succession agenda.
General Buhari recalled that only an indomitable democrat like the late M D Yusuf could have taken that personal risk.
He prayed to Allah to forgive Yusuf’s shortcomings and reward his good deeds with Aljannah (Paradise).
In the same development also, Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has extolled the extraordinary courage of the late Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Dikko Yusuf.
Former Vice President said the late senior police officer was one of the most courageous Nigerian politicians he had ever encountered.
According to Atiku, many politicians retreated to a safe distance when M D Yusuf established his own political party to challenge the military approved political parties to effectuate the self-succession agenda of 1998.
The former Vice President, who was part of that democratic struggle, said the late Yusuf’s sacrifices for democracy would not be forgotten in a hurry.
He noted that he was impressed by the late Yusuf’s courage of conviction, challenging a self-succession agenda when the democratic space was shut against contrary voices.
According to the former Vice President, the history of Nigeria’s democratic struggle would be incomplete without a prominent mention of the contributions of the late Mohammed Yusuf.
