Late politician was a man of unblemished public record – Atiku

Former Vice President

Abubakar, who stated this in a statement on Monday in Abuja, described public service records as one of the deceased’s greatest and most indelible virtues.

Atiku noted that the deceased was one of Nigeria’s greatest and most remarkable politicians whose vast experience, knowledge and wisdom were invaluable and immeasurable.

He described the late Sule as an epitome of selfless service to the people, saying that politicians of his generation were dedicated to service with integrity and quality.

The former Vice President, however, said that the virtues portrayed by the deceased had been; “ significantly eroded since the end of the first republic.’’

He also noted that Sule was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge who had dedicated his entire life to the promotion of peace, unity, peaceful coexistence, tolerance and good governance.

He stressed that the deceased’s only wealth was his integrity because the accumulation of wealth was never his preoccupation throughout his public service records.

Atiku extended his condolences to the Government, the family and the people of Kano State on the death of "this illustrious and remarkable politician."

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the late Sule died (88) at the early hours of Monday while on admission at a private hospital in Cairo, Egypt.

He was said to have been flown to the Egyptian hospital on Saturday after doctors at Kano’s Nasarawa Hospital diagnosed him of pneumonia and chest infection.

His corpse is expected to be flown back to the country on Tuesday for burial at the Emir of Kano Palace.

Sule became minister of Mines and Power in 1954 at 29 and signed deals and contracts with Shell for oil prospecting and exploration in Nigeria.

The deceased contested the presidential ticket of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1979 and was widely acclaimed for his oratory prowess which endeared him to many Nigerians and politicians across board.

Sule was enrolled at Shahuci Elementary School in 1937 and subsequently attended Kano Middle School and Kaduna College (now Barewa College).

He taught at his alma mater, Kano Middle School and played significant roles in social mobilisation, touring villages with the then Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi throughout the emirate, on health, literacy and tax campaigns.