Abdoulaye Hamani Diori

{{COI|date=December 2018}}

{{Infobox Politician

| birth_date = 29 December 1945

| death_date = 25 April 2011

| party = PPN-RDA

| otherparty = FPLN

| parents = Hamani Diori
Aissa Diori

| children = 4

| occupation = Politician, insurgent, businessman

| order = Vice President of the National Assembly

| order1 = Member of the National Assembly

| spouse = Kadja Ly Souleymane

}}

Abdoulaye Hamani Diori (29 December 1945 – 25 April 2011)[http://lesahel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7148:obseques-de-feu-abdoulaye-diori-hamani--il-etait-de-tous-les-combats-pour-linstauration-dun-etat-de-droit-dans-notre-pays&catid=34:actualites&Itemid=53 Obsèques de feu Abdoulaye Diori Hamani : il était de tous les combats pour l'instauration d'un Etat de droit dans notre pays] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006080904/http://lesahel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7148%3Aobseques-de-feu-abdoulaye-diori-hamani--il-etait-de-tous-les-combats-pour-linstauration-dun-etat-de-droit-dans-notre-pays&catid=34%3Aactualites&Itemid=53 |date=October 6, 2011 }}. Siradji Sanda, Le Sahel (Niamey). 2011-04-27. was a Nigerien political leader and businessman. The son of Niger's first President, he waged a political and abortive military struggle against the Military regime that overthrew his father. With the return of democracy to Niger, Abdoulaye became head of his father's political party, and maintained a small but influential place in the political life of Niger until his death in 2011. Abdoulaye was married with four children. A Muslim, he earned the honorific 'Hadji' after making the pilgrimage to Mecca.[http://www.tamtaminfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5954:necrologie-abdoulaye-hamani-diori-decede-allahou-akbarde-dieu-nous-venons-a-lui-nous-retournons&catid=49:societe&Itemid=96 Nécrologie: ABDOULAYE HAMANI DIORI DECEDE.] TamtamInfo News. 2011-04-26. He died 25 April 2011 at National Hospital in Niamey, aged 65,[http://www.afriqueavenir.org/2011/04/26/deces-a-niamey-du-ministre-conseiller-abdoulaye-diori-hamani-president-du-ppn-rda/ Décès à Niamey du ministre-conseiller Abdoulaye Diori Hamani, président du PPN-RDA] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320173500/http://www.afriqueavenir.org/2011/04/26/deces-a-niamey-du-ministre-conseiller-abdoulaye-diori-hamani-president-du-ppn-rda/ |date=March 20, 2012 }}, African Press Agency, 2011-04-26. following an illness.[http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20110426-deces-niamey-abdoulaye-diori Décès à Niamey d'Abdoulaye Diori] Radio France International. 2011-04-26.

Opposition and exile

Abdoulaye was the eldest son of Niger's first President, Hamani Diori, and campaigned from exile on his father's behalf following the 1974 coup which removed Diori from power and resulted in the death of his mother. While in exile Abdoulaye had two children out of wedlock with his second wife in Nigeria. In the 1980s—following his father's 1980 release from prison and house arrest in 1984—Abdoulaye became political leader of a short-lived armed rebel group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Niger (Front populaire de libération du Niger, FPLN).[http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,,CHRON,NER,456d621e2,469f38c2104,0.html Chronology for Tuareg in Niger] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018052858/http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country%2C%2C%2CCHRON%2CNER%2C456d621e2%2C469f38c2104%2C0.html |date=2012-10-18 }}. Minorities at Risk Project, UNHCR Refworld, 2004. The FPLN, made up mostly of Nigerien Tuareg fighters and based in Libya, carried out an armed assault on an armory in the northern town of Tchintabaradene in March 1985, but was repulsed by government forces. Following the attack, Abdoulaye's father was re-imprisoned to be released only upon the death of Niger's military leader in 1987.{{Cite book

|last=Decalo

|first=Samuel

|title=Historical Dictionary of the Niger (3rd ed.)

|publisher=Scarecrow Press|location=Boston & Folkestone

|year=1997

|isbn=0-8108-3136-8

}} Following the death of Seyni Kountche, Abdoulaye returned from Libya, joining his father and their former political rival Sawaba leader Djibo Bakary in meeting with new President Ali Saibou, announcing an amnesty and a series of reforms.James Brooke, [https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/15/world/niamey-journal-wary-niger-wonders-why-is-qaddafi-smiling.html "Niamey Journal; Wary Niger Wonders: Why Is Qaddafi Smiling?"], The New York Times, 15 March 1988.

Political leader

Abdoulaye returned to politics when military rule finally ended in 1991 as Niamey chapter leader of his father's former party, the PPN-RDA. He quickly rose to become the party's vice president, and succeeded Professor Dan Dicko Koulodo as elected president of the PPN-RDA following the former's death. Under his leadership, the PPN-RDA remained a marginal party, working in coalitions with larger groupings. In 1995 Abdoulaye was elected to the National Assembly of Niger, working in coalition with then Prime Minister of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou. Diori was chosen as Vice President of the Assembly at that time. In 2004 he returned as minister to the National Assembly, and was elected President of the Defense Commission of the National Assembly for the 2004-2008 session.[http://www.lesahel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1324:presentation-du-drapeau-au-contingent-2008-du-groupement-dinstruction-de-tondibiah-pres-dun-millier-delements-formes-et-juges-aptes-a-servir-la-patrie&catid=34:actualites&Itemid=53 Présentation du drapeau au contingent 2008 du Groupement d'instruction de Tondibiah : près d'un millier d'éléments formés et jugés aptes à servir la patrie] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007111834/http://www.lesahel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1324%3Apresentation-du-drapeau-au-contingent-2008-du-groupement-dinstruction-de-tondibiah-pres-dun-millier-delements-formes-et-juges-aptes-a-servir-la-patrie&catid=34%3Aactualites&Itemid=53 |date=October 7, 2011 }}. Le Sahel (Niamey) 10 March 2009. Like his father, Abdoulaye Hamani Diori stood for elections representing constituencies in Dogondoutchi Department, Dosso Region, centered around his mother's native town of Togone and his father's native town of Soudouré, Dosso Region (which is now part of the Niamey Capital District).[http://www.africatime.com/niger/nouvelle.asp?no_nouvelle=103200&no_categorie=1 Les partis politiques nigériens, leurs leaders respectifs et les pratiques politiques inavouables] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205095922/http://www.africatime.com/niger/nouvelle.asp?no_nouvelle=103200&no_categorie=1 |date=February 5, 2012 }}. La Roue de l'Histoire (Niamey) 24 February - 1 March 2004. He was also involved in a number of private enterprises, including the charter airline Air Niamey.[http://nigerianpilot.com/?q=content/saudi-arabia%E2%80%99s-persecution-nigerian-citizen Saudi Arabia’s Persecution Of A Nigerian Citizen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301013031/http://nigerianpilot.com/?q=content%2Fsaudi-arabia%E2%80%99s-persecution-nigerian-citizen |date=2017-03-01 }}. Nigerian Pilot, 2011-02-19.[http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/02/saudi-arabia-vs-nigeria%E2%80%99s-citizen-ahman/ Saudi Arabia vs Nigeria’s Citizen Ahman] Vanguard (Lagos) 2011-02-21. Abdoulaye opposed the failed attempt by former President Mamadou Tandja to extend his term under a new constitution in 2009, and supported the 18 February 2010 coup to depose Tandja, saying "The government created the environment for the coup to take place".[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703787304575074794251444112 Senegal Leader to Mediate in Niger After Coup]. DAVID GAUTHIER-VILLARS And CASSANDRA VINOGRAD, Wall Street Journal. 2010-02-19. He supported Mahamadou Issoufou in his successful bid to become the first President of the Nigerien 7th Republic in 2011. He was appointed government Minister as Special Councilor to the President on 7 April 2011,[http://www.lesahel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7028:le-president-de-la-republique-chef-de-letat-son-excellence-monsieur-issoufou-mahamadou-a-signe-hier-jeudi-7-avril-2011-plusieurs-decrets&catid=49:evenements&Itemid=63 Le Président de la République, Chef de l'Etat, Son Excellence Monsieur ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU a signé, hier, jeudi 7 avril 2011 plusieurs décrets] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007111951/http://www.lesahel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7028%3Ale-president-de-la-republique-chef-de-letat-son-excellence-monsieur-issoufou-mahamadou-a-signe-hier-jeudi-7-avril-2011-plusieurs-decrets&catid=49%3Aevenements&Itemid=63 |date=2011-10-07 }}. Presidency of Niger (via Le Sahel 8 April 2011). and attended the 6 April inauguration of the President.[http://nigerdiaspora.info/politique/6839-aussitot-apres-sa-prestation-de-serment-le-president-issoufou-mahamadou-nomme-son-premier-ministre-et-son-directeur-de-cabinet Aussitôt après sa prestation de serment, le Président Issoufou Mahamadou nomme son Premier Ministre et son Directeur de Cabinet] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411053602/http://nigerdiaspora.info/politique/6839-aussitot-apres-sa-prestation-de-serment-le-president-issoufou-mahamadou-nomme-son-premier-ministre-et-son-directeur-de-cabinet |date=April 11, 2011 }}. Kané Illa, La Griffe (Niamey). 2011-04-07. Abdoulaye Hamani Diori died in Niamey at age 65 on 25 April 2011 following an illness.[http://french.news.cn/afrique/2011-04/26/c_13846973.htm Niger : décès du président du parti PPN-RDA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720032147/http://french.news.cn/afrique/2011-04/26/c_13846973.htm |date=2011-07-20 }} Xinua, 2011-04-26. He was survived by his wife and four children Abdoulaye Hamani Diori was interred on 26 April 2011 next to his father in Soudouré following a funeral cortege overseen by the President, Prime Minister, President of the National Assembly, and other Nigerien political leaders.

References