Abubakar Rimi

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 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 master's degree in International Relations.{{cite magazine|url=https://magazine.biafranigeriaworld.com/chinua-achebe/2005mar21-achebe-foundation-abubakar-rimi-interview.html|last=Habila|first=Helon|title=A Meeting of the Minds|date=22 January 2005|magazine=BNW Magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051218113812/https://magazine.biafranigeriaworld.com/chinua-achebe/2005mar21-achebe-foundation-abubakar-rimi-interview.html|archive-date=18 December 2005|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite news|work=Blueprint|url=https://blueprint.ng/the-unforgotten-hero-abubakar-rimi/|last=Idachaba|first=Sunny|title=The unforgotten hero, Abubakar Rimi|date=26 July 2024|access-date=29 August 2024}}

Rimi was an independent candidate in the Federal Parliamentary elections for Sumaila Constituency in 1964, while Musa Said Abubakar was the NEPU Federal Parliamentary candidate for Sumaila Constituency. They contested against Alhaji Inuwa Wada of the NPC but they all withdrew for Alhaji Inuwa Wada when they were jailed.{{cite journal|last=Feinsten|first=Alan|title=The Life and Times of Nigeria's Aminu Kano|journal=African Revolutionary|date=1987 |page=204|isbn=978-156-299-4}} He was a member of the Constituent Assembly from 1977 to 1978, representing Gwarzo Local Government (comprising Gwarzo and Karaye Districts then).

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. Rimi was elected governor of the old Kano State on the platform of PRP during Second Nigerian Republic, a post he occupied from October 1979 to May 1983.{{cite web|url=http://nigeriaworld.com/letters/2000/sep/082.html|title=Alhaji Abubakar Rimi may mean well for NdiIgbo|date=8 September 2000|publisher=Nigeria World|access-date=16 September 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030807184230/http://nigeriaworld.com/letters/2000/sep/082.html|archive-date=7 August 2003}}

His cabinet was termed the "All Graduate Cabinet".{{cite web|url=http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5552646-146/deepening_democracy_rimi_and_the_mandate.csp|work=Next|title=Deepening Democracy: Rimi and the mandate question|last=Ibrahim|first=Jibrin|date=10 April 2010|access-date=26 April 2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303203652/http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5552646-146/deepening_democracy_rimi_and_the_mandate.csp|archive-date=3 March 2016}} Alhaji Sule Yahaya Hamma was the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila was the Secretary to the Executive Council and Principal Secretary to the Governor later serving as Rimi's Campaign Manager in the 1983 elections, Tijjani Indabawa served as Principal Private Secretary and Sully Abu as Press Secretary.{{cite book|title=New Times, Volumes 30-45|year=1981|publisher=New Breed Organization Limited}} 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{{cite news|url=https://www.channelstv.com/2024/05/23/kano-emirate-history-repeats-itself-40-years-after/|date=23 May 2024|last=Ilyasu|first=Sadiq|title=Kano Emirate: History Repeats Itself 40 Years After|access-date=29 August 2024}} led to riots in July 1981, followed by the killing of Rimi's political advisor Dr. Bala Mohammed Bauchi, on 10 July 1981.{{cite news|url=https://dailytrust.com/remembering-dr-bala-mohammad/|last=Abdullahi|first=Abdu|title=Remembering Dr. Bala Mohammad|work=Daily Trust|date=7 July 2016|access-date=29 August 2024}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://www.weekly.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1971:good-luck-bad-luck-who-knows-&catid=44:saturday-column&Itemid=113|work=Daily Trust|title=Good Luck, Bad Luck? Who Knows?|last=Muhammad|first=Bala|date=18 December 2009|access-date=5 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315082421/http://www.weekly.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1971%3Agood-luck-bad-luck-who-knows-&catid=44%3Asaturday-column&Itemid=113|archive-date=15 March 2010|url-status=dead}}

In 1993, Rimi accepted his appointment as Chairman of the Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank (NACB) under the General Ibrahim Babangida administration. During the transition to the Third Nigerian Republic, Rimi was a member of the center-left 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. He later left the June 12 movement, and became a Minister of Communications under the General Sani Abacha administration.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1440739.stm|title=Nigerian presidential hopeful declares|agency=BBC News|date=16 July 2001|access-date=29 August 2024}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamji.com/article9000/NEWS9078.htm|title=Abubakar Rimi: A Political Falcon Falls|last=Inuwa|first=Isa Muhammad|work=Gamji|access-date=29 August 2024}} He later moved to the Action Congress (AC), but in 2007 Rimi returned to the (PDP).{{cite web|url=http://www.ngex.com/news/public/article.php?ArticleID=743|title=Abubakar Rimi: A notorious cash and carry politician|date=24 October 2007|publisher=NgEX!|access-date=16 September 2009}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://nm.onlinenigeria.com/templates/?a=14326|title=Iwu should be removed —Abubakar Rimi|date=12 December 2008|publisher=Sun News Publishing|access-date=16 September 2009}} In January 2006, his wife was killed at his home. His son was among those charged for the murder, but was later released due to lack of evidence and a nephew of his, Mustapha, was then arrested.{{cite web|url=http://www.nasarawastate.org/newsday/news/nasara06/NewArticle383.html|title=Abubakar Rimi's Son released|work=Nigerian Newsday|date=9 November 2006|access-date=16 September 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719034812/http://www.nasarawastate.org/newsday/news/nasara06/NewArticle383.html|archive-date=19 July 2011}}

Rimi was married to Fatima, a high court justice in Niger State. Together they had a daughter, Amina, a graduate of a medical school.{{cite news |date=11 August 2021 |title=Nigeria's Transitional Leader Feels Familial Tug of a Schemer |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/07/15/nigerias-transitional-leader-feels-familial-tug-of-a-schemer/ |access-date=29 August 2024 |work=Chicago Tribune}}

On 4 April 2010, Rimi was attacked by armed robbers while returning to Kano from Bauchi State. Although unharmed, he seemed to have suffered a massive stroke and died shortly thereafter.{{cite news |url=https://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=170177 |title=Ex-Gov Rimi Dies after Armed Robbery Attack |last=Shuaibu |first=Ibrahim |date=4 April 2010 |access-date=4 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408001107/https://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=170177 |archive-date=8 April 2010 |url-status=dead}} His funeral was held at Farm Center,{{cite news|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/04/rimis-giant-footprints-tribute-last-great-leader/|title=Rimi's giant footprints: Tribute to the last great leader|work=Vanguard|date=13 April 2018|access-date=29 August 2024}} and was attended by Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda; former Finance Minister, Adamu Ciroma; Mr. Solomon Lar, Prof. Jerry Gana, and Ghali Umar Na'Abba.

{{Reflist}}

{{Governors of Kano State}}

{{State governors in the Nigerian Second Republic}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:1940 births

Category:2010 deaths

Category:Alumni of the University of London

Category:Politicians from Kano State

Category:People's Redemption Party politicians

Category:Nigerian People's Party politicians

Category:Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria) politicians

Category:Social Democratic Party (Nigeria) politicians

Category:Action Congress of Nigeria politicians

Category:Governors of Kano State

Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Nigeria)