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Governor Mamman Bello Ali
Governor Mamman Bello Ali of Yobe State’s death at an
undisclosed hospital in Florida, USA in the early hours
of yesterday was due to complications arising from liver
disease, family sources told Daily Trust in Damaturu
yesterday. The late governor and former senator was
53.
Our reporters learnt that the late governor
suffered from a liver problem for many years, but it was
a closely guarded secret in Yobe State government
circles. Several times since he became governor in May
2007, Alhaji Mamman Ali travelled to the US, often
without his personal aides, and he sometimes stayed
there for several weeks, but it was not publicly known
if he was undergoing treatment. He was in the U.S for
nearly a month last year, and the state government said
he was on his annual leave.
Daily Trust learnt
in Damaturu yesterday that the liver problem became
chronic in recent times, following which the governor
flew to U.S.A. Family sources and some close aides to
the late governor said he was in a critical condition
for three days until his death yesterday.
According to sources, Governor Ali flew to
Florida along with his second wife and one of his five
children. The sources said the governor’s condition
later deteriorated and he was in intensive care for two
days. It was the wife who first broke the news of his
death to her family members early yesterday, the sources
said.
Younger brother to the late governor,
Alhaji Danlami Abubakar said yesterday that his late
brother was critically ill, especially in the last three
days, but he was silent on the nature of the illness. “I
have been in contact with the hospital in the last three
days...I am really confused. I don’t have anything to
say now”, Alhaji Danlami, who is the permanent secretary
in the state’s Ministry of Housing, told our reporter.
Governor Mamman Ali was last seen in Damaturu on
January 9, this year when he left the state capital
along with Inspector General of Police Mr. Mike Okiro,
shortly after donating 63 vehicles to the police on
behalf of the state government. It was to be his last
official engagement.
Alhaji Wakil Sarki, the
commissioner for information in the state who confirmed
the death to newsmen, said the governor travelled to the
United States a few days to the inauguration of
President Barack Obama. Sarki said, “The governor was
actually invited for the swearing-in of the US president
by a certain organization, but his health deteriorated
shortly after the event.”
Secretary to the Yobe
State Government Engineer Baba Goni Machina and the Head
of Service Mallam Ibrahim Abdurrahman, who were seen at
the Government House in a sad mood, only accepted
condolence prayers from reporters but declined to
comment.
Speaker of the Yobe State House of
Assembly Alhaji Usman Adamu described the death of the
governor as shocking. “It’s very shocking...very
shocking indeed. Death will definitely come when it is
time for it to come, but this one is shocking”, the
Speaker said.
He said with the demise of Ali,
“Yobe has missed a gem”. “Yobe will definitely miss the
good leadership qualities of Mamman Ali and the
discipline he brought to the system but we should all
know that death is from God. We pray to God to grant him
eternal rest”, the Speaker added.
Ali’s
predecessor in office Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, who
was leading mourners at the Government House, said when
he first heard the story, he thought it was a normal
Nigerian rumour. “I received the news ...thinking like
it was like other stories. You know a lot of people have
been killed when they never died. I myself have been
killed a couple of months ago even though I was not
dead,” Bukar said.
He said “the death of Ali was
really shocking, more so I never knew that he was
suffering from any sickness. Until day before yesterday,
I was speaking to him daily. I was looking for him
throughout yesterday (Monday) without success...I kept
on phoning and at the end of the day, I had to send a
text but this morning, people kept on calling me even
though no one was sure about anything. It was sources
from the family that later confirmed the death”, Bukar
said.
Our correspondents saw numerous people in
groups across the streets, apparently discussing the
development. Hundreds of people including commissioners
and special advisers, ANPP stalwarts, family and friends
of the governor were also seen trouping into the
Government House, Damaturu in a subdued mood. Security
was also relaxed, allowing people to troop
in.
Former Deputy Governor Alhaji Saleh Bagare
said in his reaction to Mamman Ali’s death said that
“everything that has beginning must have an end. We
accept his demise in good faith and we pray God would
give him eternal rest. For his family, we are praying to
God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss. It is
only God that knows why He took him away at this
material time”.
Former Secretary to Yobe State
government Alhaji Baba Ba’aba said a vacuum has been
created in Yobe. “It is very difficult to describe how
the news came to me because I received it very early and
I decided to keep it to myself because it came from only
one source, though very reliable. The day one is born,
everything about him is predetermined. This is Allah’s
wish and there is nothing anybody can say but pray for
the repose of his soul”, he said.
Ba’aba, who is
said to be a close ally of the late governor, spoke on
the character of Ali. “He was a straight forward person,
someone who never minced words about his feelings. He
meant well for the state and there is no doubt about it
and everyone has seen all that he has done within the
short period of his stewardship”, the former SSG said.
The Waziri of Gujba, Alhaji Ali Gaji Grema said
“It is a big loss to the whole of Yobe State. We pray
that his passing away would be a blessing to him and we
also hope for the best for the state...we hope the
person coming in will ensure the security of lives and
property of the people. It was a sad and sudden news but
that is what Allah wished.”
At the time of
filing this report, sources said the governor’s remains
were being expected by
Thursday
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YOBE STATE GOVERNOR
MAMMAN ALI IS DEAD
Posted Tue. January 27,2009
The Yobe state Governor
Mamman Ali is dead. Sources said he died in a United
states Hospital but the exact identity of the hospital
could not be confirmed immediately.
But there seems to be
uncertainty about the exact cause of the governor`s
death. Newsdiaryonline
sources said the governor traveled for medical attention
after he was said to have suffered some alleged
poisoning. But some sources said he might have died of
heart failure. No details have yet been
given.
Late Governor Ali had
been involved in a protracted battle to keep his mandate
as Senator Al bishir was a thorn in his
flesh challenging his election in courts. But there is
no evidence yet to prove the exact cause of
the governor's death.
``Yes ,it is true, he is
dead`` a prominent northern politician said this
morning.
However, an official
statement by Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim in Abuja on
Tuesday said Governor Ali died while undergoing
treatment for Leukemia.
Reports said top
politicians in Yobe state have been meeting to avert any
succession crisis in the aftermath of Governor Ali`s
death.A former governor of the state was said to be
coordinating such meetings.
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