Abubakar Rimi

Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi (1940 – 4 April 2010) was a Nigerian politician who was the Governor of Kano State during the Nigerian Second Republic. He also served as Federal Minister of Communications from 1993 to o1998 during the military regime of General Sani Abacha.

Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi
Governor of Kano State
In office October 1979 – May 1983
Preceded by	Ishaya Aboi Shekari
Succeeded by	Abdu Dawakin Tofa
Personal details
Born	1940 Sumaila, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now Sumaila, Nigeria)
Died	4 April 2010 (aged 69–70)
Nationality	Nigerian
Political party	People's Redemption Party (1979 to 1983) Nigerian Peoples Party (1983 to 1984) Social Democratic Party (1989 to 1993) Peoples Democratic Party (1998 to 2010)

Background

Alhaji Abubakar Rimi was born in 1940 in Rimi Village of Sumaila Local Government Area of Kano State, Nigeria. In the early 1960s, he attended an instructor's course at the institute of Administration in Zaria. He obtained a General Certificate of education from the University of London. In 1972, he completed a diploma in international affairs at the London institute of World Affairs, and later obtained a master's degree in International Relations.[1] He served as an instructor at the Clerical Training Center in Sokoto, and later became an Administrative Secretary at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.[2]

Early political career

Rimi was an independent candidate in the Federal Parlimantery elections for Sumaila Constituency in 1964 while Musa Said Abubakar was the NEPU Federal Parlimantary candidate for Sumaila Constituency they contested against Alhaji Inuwa Wada of the NPC but they all withdrew for Alhaji Inuwa Wada when they were jailed.[3] He was a member of the Constituent Assembly (1977–1978).[2] In December 1978, he was elected the PRP's Deputy National secretary at the party's first national convention in Lagos. He was a PRP candidate in the 1979 General elections.[1] Rimi was elected governor of the old Kano State on the platform of PRP during Nigerian Second Republic, a post he occupied from October 1979 – May 1983.[4]

Governor of Kano

His cabinet was termed the "All Graduate Cabinet".[5] Alhaji Sule Hamma was appointed the SSG, Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila was Secretary of the Executive Council and Principal Secretary to the Governor, (PS to Governor) later serving as Rimi's Campaign Manager in the 1983 elections, Tijjani Indabawa was his Principal Private Secretary (PPS to Governor) and Sully Abu was Press Secretary to the Governor. He was said to be a liberal influence, promoting adult literacy and encouraging women to emerge from Purdah.[4] He abolished the unpopular haraji (personal tax) and jangali (cattle tax), relics of the colonial period when the British governed through the emirs in the North.[5] In 1980, he declared an annual worker's day. His suspension of the Emir of Kano led to riots in July 1981, followed by the killing of Rimi's political advisor Dr. Bala Mohammed.[2] During the upheavals the offices of Triumph Newspapers, Radio Kano and several ministries were burned down.[5]

In May 1983, Rimi fell out with his mentor Aminu Kano and moved from the People's Redemption Party (PRP) to the Nigerian People's Party (NPP) in preparation for the 1983 elections. He resigned from office and was replaced as governor by his deputy, Abdu Dawakin Tofa.[6]

Later career

In 1993, Rimi accepted his appintment as Chairman of the Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank (NACB) under the General Ibrahim Babangida administration. During the transition to the Nigerian Third Republic, Rimi was a member of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SDP) and one of the early supporters of the June 12 movement opposed to the annulment of the election of MKO Abiola. He later left the June 12 movement, and became a Minister of Communications under the General Sani Abacha administration.[2]

He was one of the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was the Chairman of the Finance committee of the Party at its inception and also one of its presidential candidates.[1] He was appointed Chairman of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) in the first tenure of Obasanjo as a Civilian President.[2] He later moved to the Action Congress (AC), but in 2007 Rimi returned to the (PDP).[7] In December 2008, he called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu, to resign from office, citing irregularities in the previous presidential election.[8] In January 2006, his wife was killed at his home. His son was among those charged for the murder, but was later released due to lack of evidence and one of his nephew, Mustapha is still under arrest.[9]

Death

On April 4, 2010, Rimi was attacked by armed robbers while returning to Kano from Bauchi State. Although unharmed, he seemed to have suffered a massive stroke and died shortly thereafter.[10]

References

1. "A Meeting of the Minds". BNW Magazine. 22 Jan 2005. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
2. "Mohammed Abubakar Rimi (1940–2010)". Guardian. 21 April 2010. Retrieved 2004-04-26.
3. Feinsten, Alan. "The Life and Times of Nigeria's Aminu Kano". African Revolutionary: 204. ISBN 978 156 299 4.
4. "Alhaji Abubakar Rimi may mean well for NdiIgbo". Nigeria World. September 8, 2000. Archived from the original on August 7, 2003. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
5. Jibrin Ibrahim (April 10, 2010). "Deepening Democracy: Rimi and the mandate question". Next. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2004-04-26.
6. Bala Muhammad (18 December 2009). "Good Luck, Bad Luck? Who Knows?". Weekly Trust. Archived from the original on 15 March 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
7. "Abubakar Rimi: A notorious cash and carry politician". NgEX!. October 24, 2007. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
8. "Iwu should be removed —Abubakar Rimi". Sun News Publishing. December 12, 2008. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
9. "Abubakar Rimi's Son released". Nigerian Newsday. November 9, 2006. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
10. Ibrahim Shuaibu (4 April 2010). "Ex-Gov Rimi Dies after Armed Robbery Attack". Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-04.