Dr James Dalok, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has described late Ibrahim Mantu as a true patriot and stabilising force in Democratic setting Nigeria would greatly missed.
Dalok made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Pankshin.
Dalok, who was the running mate to Plateau PDP Governorship Candidate in the 2019 general election, rtd Lt.-Gen. Jerry Useni, described the news of the former Deputy Senate President’s death as “shocking” and “devastating.’
“The news of Mantu’s death indeed came to me as rude shock and devastating considering his significant role in Nigeria’s polity as a true Patriot and stabilising force.
“Nigeria and Nigerians especially we in Plateau Central, will greatly miss his good virtues and wisdom that has guided our Democratic struggles and journey’’, he said.
The PDP chieftain said he would Miss Mantu’s political godfatherism, and expressed his deepest condolences to (Mantu’s) family, political and business associates and Nigerians in general.
NAN reports that Mantu, who was a PDP chieftain and former Deputy Senate President, died in the early hours of Tuesday in Abuja after a brief illness.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mantu was born in Chanso village, Gindiri District, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau on Feb. 16, 1947.
He attended the Gindiri Demonstration Primary School from 1955 – 1961 and obtained the First School Leaving Certificate.
He worked with the Public Works Department (PWD) Jos, as a Stores Requisition Clerk from 1962 – 1963 before proceeding to the Gindiri Teachers College in 1964.
On leaving Gindiri in 1967, he joined the Nigerian Tobacco Company, Zaria in 1968 as a Quality Checker.
He moved to BEAM, a division of UAC Nigeria as a Kalamazoo Specialist Salesman in 1971.
Mantu holds a B.A. (Hons.) degree in Political Science from the Washington International University.
He was awarded Honourary Doctorate Degrees of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, University of Jos, Madonna University, Okija and University of Applied Sciences and Management Port Novo, Benin Republic.
Mantu joined politics in 1978 and was elected Deputy State Chairman of NPN in Plateau in 1980.
He was a founding member of the Liberal Convention.
Mantu’s contested for the National Chairmanship of the N.R.C. in 1990 but lost.
In 1993, Mr Mantu was the Director General of National Republican Convention Presidential Campaign Organisation.
In 1998, he was elected the National Publicity Secretary of the defunct UNCP and was later elected senator on the platform of the same party.
This election was truncated by General Abdusalam Abubakar’s regime. In 1999, Ma
On inauguration in 1999, Mantu was appointed Chairman Senate Committee on Information, the position he held until Aug. 10, 2001, when he was elected Deputy President of the Senate.
He was appointed Chairman, Joint National Assembly Constitution Review Committee from 2001 to 2003 and 2003 to 2007 respectively.
He was Chairman of Policy Analysis and Research Project (PARP) which metamorphosed into National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS). Though a legislator, Mantu handled many executive assignments.
Until his death, he was a member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP. (NAN)
