TheCable

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described the late Ibrahim Dasuki, the 18th sultan of Sokoto, as a nationalist and a patriot par excellence.

He made the remark in Sokoto on Thursday when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased.

Jonathan also stopped at the palace of Sa’ad Abubakar III, the current sultan of Sokoto, where he said the late Dasuki worked and died as a peace maker and a bridge builder.

“He worked tirelessly to ensure lasting peace and unity in Nigeria, while without peace and unity there will be no development,” he said.

The former president said the demise of Dasuki was a national loss, and added that his words of wisdom would continue to be remembered by all Nigerians.

Responding, the sultan commended Jonathan for the visit, and said: “Allah gives and takes life”.

Abubakar said Jonathan’s condolence was for all Nigerians, and not the people of Sokoto alone.

Ahmed Aliyu, deputy governor of the state, led Jonathan’s entourage to the sultan’s palace.

The former president later took to Twitter to comment on the trip to Sokoto.

“I travelled to Sokoto this afternoon to condole with the family of the late former Sultan Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki and the current monarch,” he wrote.

“I thank the Dasuki Family, the sultan, the government and the good people of Sokoto State for their warm welcome and wonderful hospitality.”