. . . ACF, Balarabe Musa, Yero others commiserate with family

From Muhammad Ibrahim, Kaduna

Reactions continue to trail the death of Former Minister of Transportation and aviation in the second Republic, Dr. Umaru Dikko as Arewa Consultative Forum, former Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Kaduna State governor, Ramalan Yero and others mourned his death.

In a statement signed by ACF Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim made available to newsmen in the state described late Dikko as a patriot and bridge builder of Nigerian Democracy and unity.

“Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) learnt with total submission to the will of Allah, the passing on of Alhaji Umaru Dikko, former Minister of Transport in the Second Republic. Alhaji Umaru was a principled and colorful politician of repute, a nationalist and an elder statesman.

“He was a veteran broadcaster, patriot and bridge builder in the cause of Nigeria’s unity. ACF, the North and indeed Nigeria have lost an illustrious citizen who stood for the indivisibility  and corporate existence of the country.

“We mourn the death of Alhaji Umaru Dikko and pray that Almighty Allah grant him eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus.

ACF extended its condolence to the immediate family of Alhaji Dikko, the people and  Government of Kaduna state and Nigerians over this irreparable loss.

Similarly, first Executive Governor of the old Kaduna state, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa in a short message described Dikko’s death as a national loss.

He said, Umar Dikko was a patriotic Nigerian and a member of a group called Kaduna Mafia, which collaborated with its southern counterpart to keep the Federal Government accountable to Nigerians in the 70s.

 Also, in a statement by his Director-General, Media and Publicity, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, Governor Yero described the demise of Umaru Dikko as a great loss, not only to Kaduna state but to the entire country.

The governor also described Dikko as a dogged patriot “one who dedicated most part of his lifetime fighting for democracy and civil justice in Nigeria. Future generations of Nigerians will not forget the role played by the late Dikko in stabilizing the nation especially in the trying period after the first military coup in 1966.”

While condoling with the immediate family of the deceased, Governor Yero urged them to take solace in the fact that the late Dikko has left enduring legacies as an excellent politician, elder stateman and former federal minister.

He also prayed that Allah grant those he left behind the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Similarly, in a statement signed by the spokesman of Northern Delegates Forum, Anthony N. Z. Sani, said the Forum received with heavy heart the news about the death of Alhaji Umaru Dikko who was one of the moving force of the ruling party during the Second Republic.

“May God provide the family the fortitude to endure this irreparable loss, precisely because death is often an inevitable end, and would come when it would come, “ he said.