Date Published: 04/04/10

Abubakar Rimi is dead

Alhaji Abubakar Rimi

Second Republic Governor of old Kano State and frontline Politician of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi is dead.

Sources told pointblanknews.com that Rimi died after an encounter with Armed Robbers while returning back to Kano after attending his eldest daughters wedding. Although unharmed, he was said to have suffered a massive stroke and died shortly after.

In January 2006, the late former Governor's wife was shot dead by assassins who were later arrested, charged and set free by the Nigeria Police. His son was among those charged for the murder, but was later released.

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, 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 Masters Degree in International Relations.

In January 2006, his wife was killed at his home.

Abubakar Rimi was co-founder with the late Mallam Aminu Kano and other progressives of the People's Redemption Party (PRP). 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. Abubakar Rimi was elected to the governorship of the old Kano State as candidate for the PRP in the second republic, a post he occupied from October 1979 - May 1983. He said to be was a liberal influence, promoting adult literacy and encouraging women to emerge from Purdah.

In 1993 Rimi was appointed minister of communications, and later was Chairman of NACB and NSPMC. He was one of the foundation 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. He later moved to the Action Congress (AC), but in 2007 Rimi returned to the (PDP). 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.