By Ayo Kehinde
As the body of ex-President Shehu Shagari, left the National Hospital Abuja for Sokoto in the early hours of Saturday, tributes, condolences and war of words occasioned by his death are pouring in.
The former leader who had received an avalanche of tributes from political foes and friends will be buried today in Shagari village in Sokoto state. Alhaji Shagari died at 93 on Friday.
Among the late tributes today was that of Governor Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa, who said Shagari’s selfless service to the nation was exceptional.
Badaru, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) through his Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Alhaji Bello Zaki, said the country has missed an elder statesman.
“ He served this country as a classroom teacher, a legislator, a minister and at the exalted position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“ Apart from this rare feat, Shagari served the traditional institution as the Turakin Sokoto, Ochiebuzo of Ogbaland, the Ezediale of Aboucha and the Baba Korede of Ado Ekiti,” the governor said.
Badaru commiserated with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, President Mohammadu Buhari, the immediate family of the deceased and all Nigerians.
Shagari was the President of Nigeria from 1979 to 1983 under the defunct National Party of Nigeria.
In another development on Saturday, Imo Ugochinyere, CUPP spokesman, in a statement said President Buhari was one of the officers who truncated the country’s budding democracy by overthrowing the Shagari government in 1983 and should save his condolences.
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for mourning Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the first President of Nigeria under the presidential system of government.
He said: “We commiserate with the Shagari family, the Sokoto State Government and indeed all Nigerians on such a huge loss of a nationalist and elder statesman per excellence particularly at these very challenging times. We also pray God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.
“President Shagari was a democrat who believed in the supremacy of the power of the people and only succumbed to the barrel of the gun of people who did not and still do not believe in the tenets of democracy and the supremacy of the rule of law.
“We however urge President Muhammadu Buhari to keep his tributes in honour of Alhaji Shehu Shagari.
“The Grand Alliance leadership has directed all the over 50 parties in the opposition coalition to fly their party flags at half mast as mark of respect to this great hero.
“Nigeria shall overcome this loss by the special grace of God and democracy will once again not fail in our time.”
Meanwhile, trading word with the president’s campaign organization who had described the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as a desperate politician who should have been jailed for corruption if Nigeria’s system was working, the media office replied in kind words: President Muhammadu Buhari should have been executed if Nigeria’s system was working.
Atiku said Buhari should have been killed for overthrowing a democratically elected government in 1983.
The Waziri of Adamawa, who spoke through his Media Aide, Paul Ibe, was reacting to a remark from Buhari’s campaign spokesperson, Festus Keyamo.
Keyamo had claimed that the former Vice President should have been jailed for corruption if the country’s system was working.
In a statement he issued, Keyamo claimed that Atiku was on the verge of committing suicide.
Reacting to Keyamo’s comment, Ibe, who took to his Twitter handle wrote: “Festus Keyamo should be careful what he brings on himself and APC campaign.
“If Nigeria had a working system, Muhammadu Buhari should have been executed for overthrowing a democratically elected government in 1983.”
Shagari, who won his second term election was, however, overthrown by a coup d’etat that brought in Buhari as Military Head of State.
President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has expressed sadness over the death of the first elected President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari who he described as the last of the First and Second Republic titans.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Ilorin, described the late Shagari as a man of peace who dedicated the greater part of his life to the service of the fatherland.
He noted that Shagari would be remembered for his immense contributions to the political and socio-economic development of the country as well as his peaceful disposition.
He also commiserated with the immediate and larger family of the deceased, the government and people of Sokoto State, and the entire country over the loss of the former President as he stated that: “let’s be consoled by the fact that Alhaji Shagari lived his life in the service of God and country.”
“My family and I join the entire nation to mourn the passing of former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who led our nation during the Second Republic. He was a quintessential public servant; having served in seven cabinet positions and as a legislator. He was the first elected President who was Chief Executive of the country. He dedicated his best years in the service of our nation and its people and will be dearly missed.
“He was a man who worked for the unity of Nigeria and stabilized the country during the 50 months of the Second Republic despite the challenges of the then new presidential system of government operated by the country. “He has remained a silent beacon of strength for the country since his exit from power”, the Senate President stated.
