The Asokoro, Abuja residence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been streaming with high profile visitors within the last 24 hours. Atiku left Nigeria for the United Arab Emirates after meetings with the organised private sector and top echelon of the Nigerian media in Lagos penultimate week, in furtherance of his presidential campaign. He is the flagbearer of the major opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). He cut short his trip and returned last Saturday. This followed the unfortunate demise of his most trusted, long-serving aide, Abdullahi Nyako a week ago in Dubai.
Delegations and individual mourners across the spectrum of the nation’s politics and economy have been paying condolence visits to Atiku, who is the chief mourner in many respects. Second Republic Governor of old Anambra State, Jim Nwobodo led a delegation of South East leaders to Atiku’s residence on Sunday evening. Third Republic Governor of Enugu State, John Nwodo; former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; one-time presidential running mate to Atiku, Ben Obi; and former governor of Abia, Theodore Ahamaefule Orji were on the team.
Former Minister of Special Duties in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, Saminu Turaki, SAN, led representatives of the Federal Executive Council of that era on a visit to Atiku earlier on Monday. Former Minister for Women Affairs, Inna Ciroma; her colleagues in Sports, Ibrahim Isa-Bio; and her counterpart in the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide-Balogun were in the delegation. Celestine Omehia, who served briefly as Governor of Rivers State, led a high-powered team of leaders from the state to Atiku’s residence, which had former PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus; former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara; Senator representing Rivers East, George Thompson Sekibo; former Senator Lee Maeba; former Transport Minister, Abiye Precious Sekibo; and House of Representatives member, Chinyere Igwe, were on the visit.
Pioneer Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission and former President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Onyema Ugochukwu; renowned journalist and former presidential aide, Tunde Olusunle; and former military administrator of Lagos State, and governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Minister of State for Works and Housing, Saleh Shehu; former deputy governors of Sokoto and Zamfara States, Mukhtar Shagari and Mahdi Aliyu-Gusau; renowned Borno State politician, Gambo Lawan; business moguls, Jide Omokore and Tunde Ayeni were also around to support the grieving PDP presidential flagbearer.
Nyako, who had been on the personal staff of Atiku for the last two and half decades, died in his sleep before dawn. Olusunle had exchange chats with his friend and colleague from the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency late into the evening the previous night and was thoroughly astounded when news of his exit filtered in.
A well educated and experienced bureaucrat, he was deployed from the Federal Civil Service to work with Atiku following his assumption of office May 1999. He was designated “Principal Secretary” to the Vice President, a job he executed with every commitment and distinction. His relationship with Atiku had deepened at the expiration of Obasanjo/Atiku government in 2007, so much that Atiku retained his services thereafter.
Nyako, who obtained a 1981 degree from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Jos in 1990 and was called to the bar in 2007, after earning a degree in Law from the University of Abuja.
He joined the Federal Civil Service in 1982 and served in various sensitive positions, including the Political Affairs Department in the Office of the President between 1982 and 1987. He also served as Administrative Assistant on Special Duties, Office of the First Lady (Maryam Babangida) from 1991 to 1993. He was also Executive Director, Local Organising Committee of the FIFA World Youth Championship, tagged Nigeria ’95, from December 1993 to December 1994.
He was born in Kojoli, Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State. He would have been 64 on 11th November.
