Retired Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Timbut Useni, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has passed away.
Newsonspot gathered that he died on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at the age of 82 after battling a long illness.
His death was announced in a statement issued in Jos by Gyang Bere, the Director of Press and Public Affairs to Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang.
He described the of the former Minister and Quarter Master General of the Nigerian Army as a tremendous loss not only to his immediate family but also to the Nigerian Armed Forces, Plateau State, and the entire nation.
Highlighting the roles played by the late army general, Governor Mutfwang noted that he left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s security and political landscape with his tireless efforts to promote peace and security, especially in Northern Nigeria and Plateau State.
The governor prayed that god grants the family, plateau state, and the nation the strength and fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss, and also asked for God’s divine presence to comfort and provide solace in the days ahead.
Brief Profile
Jeremiah Timbut Useni, born 16 February 1943, was a Nigerian army lieutenant general, who served as minister responsible for the administration of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja under the Sani Abacha military junta.
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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.
He was elected Senator for the Plateau South constituency of Plateau State, Nigeria in the March 2015 national elections.
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. Useni stated that the decision to appoint Abdulsalami Abubakar instead was based on protocol.
Ten years later, Useni insisted Abacha died a natural death, contrary to rumors that he died after eating a poisoned apple.
In August 2001, he was appointed head of a delegation from the Arewa Consultative Forum to meet and discuss common goals with Northern governors and other leaders.
In 2003, he was Deputy National Chairman, North for the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and in November 2004, he was locked in an internal ANPP struggle with Chief Donald Etiebet, the National Chairman.
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.
He was however suspended indefinitely in December 2008, for saying the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa was a national sacrifice.
He was succeeded by Biodun Ogunbiyi, who criticised Useni’s alleged poor leadership, resulting in failure to win any seats in the Senate or House of Representatives in the April 2007 elections.
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. He tried again in 2015 on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party and won.
In October 2018, Useni won the PDP primaries to run for Plateau governorship, but lost to Simon Lalong with 595,582 votes to 546,813.
Useni challenged the results of the election on the ground that Lalong was ineligible to assume the position of governor, having submitted a different certificate to INEC, bearing different name to Simon Bako Lalong.
But the three panel of justices led by Justice Halima Salami struck out Useni’s petition, affirming Lalong’s election for lack of substantial evidence to prove the discrepancy of names in the certificate Lalong submitted to INEC.
Useni appealed the judgement of the tribunal at both the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court but lost. The judgment from the courts ended his ambition to rule Plateau State, and had since led a quiet life till his passing yesterday.
