Abubakar Rimi
Encyclopedia
Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi (1940 – 4 April 2010) was a Nigeria
n politician, who was the governor of Kano State
during the Nigerian Second Republic
. He died following an attack by armed robbers.
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 Masters Degree in International Relations.
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.
and other progressives of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), which later became the People's Redemption Party
(PRP).
He was a member of the Constituent Assembly (1977–1978).
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 Nigerian Second Republic
, a post he occupied from October 1979 – May 1983.
His Cabinet was termed the "All Graduate Cabinet".
Alhaji Sule Hamma was appointed the SSG, Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila was Secretary of the Executive Council and Principal Secretary to the Governor, later serving as Rimi's Campaign Manager in the 1983 elections, 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
.
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.
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.
During the upheavals the offices of Triumph Newspapers, Radio Kano and several ministries were burned down.
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
.
administration.
During the Nigerian Third Republic
Rimi was a member of the 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.
Later he left the progressive movement, and became Minister of Communications under the Sani Abacha
Administration.
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.
He was appointed Chairman of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) in the first tenure of Obasanjo as a Civilian President.
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.
In January 2006, his wife was killed at his home. His son was among those charged for the murder, but was later released.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n politician, who was the governor of Kano State
Kano State
Kano State is a state located in North-Western Nigeria. Created on May 27, 1967 from part of the Northern Region, Kano state borders Katsina State to the north-west, Jigawa State to the north-east, Bauchi State to the south-east and Kaduna State to the south-west...
during the Nigerian Second Republic
Nigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
. He died following an attack by armed robbers.
Background
Alhaji Abubakar Rimi was born in 1940 in RimiRimi
Rimi may refer to:* RIMI, a Norwegian retail chain* Rimi Baltic, a Baltic retail chain* Rimi B. Chatterjee, an Indian author* Natsukawa Rimi, an Okinawan singer* Rimi, another name for Aurochs* Rimi, Nepal...
Village of Sumaila
Sumaila
Sumaila is a Local Government Area in Kano State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Sumaila to the north of the area.It has an area of 1,250 km² and a population of 253,661 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 712....
Local Government Area
Local Government Area
A local government area is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory....
of Kano State, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. In the early 1960s he attended an instructor's course at the institute of Administration in Zaria
Zaria
Zaria may refer to:*Zaria, a city in Kaduna State, Nigeria*Zaria , or Zoria, the Slavic goddess of beauty*Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg, a member of the Dutch royal family...
. He obtained a General Certificate of education from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. 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.
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.
Early political career
Rimi was co-founder in 1964 with the late Mallam Aminu KanoAminu Kano
Aminu Kano was a Muslim politician from Nigeria. In the 1940s he led an Islamic movement in the north of the country in opposition to British rule...
and other progressives of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), which later became the People's Redemption Party
People's Redemption Party
The People's Redemption Party was a political party in Nigeria. Often considered the Second Republic incarnation of the Northern Elements Progressive Union, the party was created by the late Mallam Aminu Kano. The PRP was highly regarded as a progressive left of center political party. Some well...
(PRP).
He was a member of the Constituent Assembly (1977–1978).
In December 1978 he was elected the PRP's Deputy National secretary at the party's first national convention in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
. 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 Nigerian Second Republic
Nigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
, a post he occupied from October 1979 – May 1983.
His Cabinet was termed the "All Graduate Cabinet".
Alhaji Sule Hamma was appointed the SSG, Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila was Secretary of the Executive Council and Principal Secretary to the Governor, later serving as Rimi's Campaign Manager in the 1983 elections, 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
Purdah
Purdah or pardeh is the practice of concealing women from men. According to one definition:This takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes, and the requirement for women to cover their bodies and conceal their form....
.
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.
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.
During the upheavals the offices of Triumph Newspapers, Radio Kano and several ministries were burned down.
In May 1983 Rimi fell out with his mentor Aminu Kano and moved from the People's Redemption Party
People's Redemption Party
The People's Redemption Party was a political party in Nigeria. Often considered the Second Republic incarnation of the Northern Elements Progressive Union, the party was created by the late Mallam Aminu Kano. The PRP was highly regarded as a progressive left of center political party. Some well...
(PRP) to the Nigerian People's Party
Nigerian People's Party
The Nigerian Peoples Party was one of the major political parties that contested elections in the Nigerian Second Republic. The party was made up of three major groups: the Lagos Progressives, Club 19, and the Nigerian Council of Understanding....
(NPP) in preparation for the 1983 elections. He resigned from office and was replaced as governor by his deputy, Abdu Dawakin Tofa
Abdu Dawakin Tofa
Alhaji Abdu Dawakin Tofa was a Nigerian agriculturalist and academic who was briefly governor of Kano State between May and October 1983 during the Nigerian Second Republic....
.
Third republic and beyond
In 1993, Rimi accepted the post of Chairman of the Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank (NACB) under the Ibrahim BabangidaIbrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
administration.
During the Nigerian Third Republic
Nigerian Third Republic
The Third Republic was the planned republican government of Nigeria in 1993 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution.- Founding :...
Rimi was a member of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The Social Democratic Party of Nigeria, popularly known as SDP, was a political party created to encompass the ideals of a center left political organization. It was one of the products of a democracy project by former President Ibrahim Babangida to have two detribalized political parties, one a...
(SDP) and one of the early supporters of the June 12 movement opposed to the annulment of the election of MKO Abiola.
Later he left the progressive movement, and became Minister of Communications under the Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
Administration.
He was one of the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party
Peoples Democratic Party
The Peoples Democratic Party is a political party in Guyana which plans to contest the 2011 presidential elections. The party promotes adoption of the US dollar, land redistribution, and increased firearms ownership....
(PDP). He was the Chairman of the Finance committee of the Party at its inception and also one of its presidential candidates.
He was appointed Chairman of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) in the first tenure of Obasanjo as a Civilian President.
He later moved to the Action Congress
Action Congress
The Action Congress of Nigeria , formerly known as Action Congress , is a classical liberal Nigerian political party formed via the merger of the Alliance for Democracy, the Justice Party, the Advance Congress of Democrats, and several other minor political parties in September 2006. The party...
(AC), but in 2007 Rimi returned to the (PDP).
In December 2008, he called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission
Independent National Electoral Commission
The Independent National Electoral Commission , set up in 1998, is the electoral body which was set up to oversee elections in Nigeria.The INEC has encountered several controversies in the run-up to the April 2007 general elections, including criticism about its preparedness from Sada Abubakar,...
, (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu
Maurice Iwu
Maurice Mmaduakolam Iwu is a Nigerian Professor of Pharmacognosy who was appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission in June 2005, and was removed from office in April 2010.-Background:...
, to resign from office, citing irregularities in the previous presidential election.
In January 2006, his wife was killed at his home. His son was among those charged for the murder, but was later released.