Jeremiah Useni

Jeremiah Timbut Useni
Governor of Bendel State
In office January 1984 – August 1985
Preceded by	Samuel Ogbemudia
Succeeded by	John Mark Inienger
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory
In office 1993–1998
Preceded by	Gado Nasko
Succeeded by	Mamman Kontagora
Personal details
Born	February 16, 1943[1] Langtang, Plateau State, Nigeria

Jeremiah Timbut Useni (born February 16, 1943) was a Lt. General in the Nigerian Army and Minister responsible for the administration of the Abuja Federal Capital Territory under the Sani Abacha military junta. He came from Plateau State. He served Nigeria in various capacities such as Minister for Transport and Quarter-Master General of the Nigeria Army. Useni also served as Deputy Chairman of one of the significant parties in Nigeria, the All Nigeria Peoples Party.

Period of military rule

Useni came to national limelight in Nigeria when he was appointed Military Governor of Nigeria's defunct Bendel State in January 1984. In 1998 Useni, then minister for the capital territory of Abuja, was rumored as a successor to General Sani Abacha.^[2] Useni states that the decision to appoint Abdulsalami Abubakar instead was based on protocol.^[3] Ten years later, Useni insisted Abacha died a natural death, contrary to rumors that he died after eating a poisoned apple.^[4]

Speaking in April 2008, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Aliyu Modibbo Umar, blamed problems with the Abuja Master Plan on the administration of Useni as a minister under the Abacha military government.^[5]

Democratic period

In August 2001 he was appointed head of a delegation from the Arewa Consultative Forum to meet and discuss common goals with Northern state governors and other leaders.^[6] In 2003, he was Deputy National Chairman North for the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).^[7] In November 2004, he was locked in an internal ANPP struggle with Chief Donald Etiebet, the National Chairman.^[8]

In May 2006, he left the ANPP to become chairman of a new party, the Democratic People's Party, taking with him other members of the progressive wing of the ANPP.^[9] However, he was suspended indefinitely in December 2008 for saying the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa was a national sacrifice.^[10] He was succeeded by Biodun Ogunbiyi, who criticized Useni's poor leadership, resulting in failure to win any seats in the Senate or House of Representatives in the April 2007 elections.^[11] Useni ran for election as Senator for Plateau South in April 2011 on the DPP platform, but was defeated by Victor Lar of the PDP.^[12]

References

1. "Birthdays". Newswatch (Ajah, Lagos, Nigeria: Newswatch Communications). February 2002. Retrieved 2011-07-30.
2. "Who will succeed Abacha?". BBC News. June 8, 1998. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
3. "Why I did not succeed Abacha as Head of State - Jeremiah Useni". Sunday Trust. 23 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
4. "Abacha's death natural, says Useni". Independent Newspapers. October 28, 2008. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
5. "'Useni Bastardised Abuja Master Plan'". This Day. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
6. Steve Nwosu and Tokunbo Adedoja (2001-09-01). "One North, Different People". ThisDay. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
7. "RESPONSES TO INFORMATION REQUESTS (RIRs)". Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. 8 September 2003. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
8. "Again, Parallel NEC Meetings Deepen ANPP Crisis.". This Day (Nigeria). November 30, 2004. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
9. "Requiem for ANPP". daily Sun. June 19, 2006. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
10. "DPP suspends Useni over comment on Saro-Wiwa". Guardian Newspapers. December 23, 2008. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
11. "Two Party System Best for Country - Ogunbiyi". Daily Independent (Lagos). 14 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
12. Template:Cite web. 1n April 2015 Useni ran for Senate and won under the platform of the PDP.