Dan Suleiman
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore Dan Suleiman was a member of General Murtala Muhammed's supreme military council in Nigeria
between July 1975 and March 1976, and was military governor of Plateau State
from March 1976 to July 1978 after it had been created from part of the old Benue Plateau State.
After the return to democracy in 1999 with the Nigerian Fourth Republic
, Suleiman became chairman of the Middle Belt Forum
(MBF), a socio-political group representing the people of the Middle Belt
of Nigeria.
(1966–1970).
He was appointed to the cabinet of General Yakubu Gowon
in January 1975.
As Federal Commissioner for Special Duties he was instrumental in founding the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS).
He assisted in the military rebellion of July 29, 1975 when Gowon was deposed, replaced by General Murtala Muhammed.
Following the coup, he was named a member of the Supreme Military Council.
Murtala Mohammed appointed him Commissioner for Health.
Suleiman was appointed the first military governor of Plateau State
in Nigeria
from March 1976 to July 1978, after Benue-Plateau State
was divided into Benue State
and Plateau State.
As governor, he made the progressive proposal that anyone born in Plateau State or anyone who had lived in the state for 20 years should enjoy all the rights and privileges of a native regardless of their ethnic origin.
Suleiman retired in 1980 as an Air Commodore.
Suleiman resisted the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha
after the elections of 12 June 1993 were annulled. As one of the founders of the National Democratic Coalition
(NADECO) he was forced into exile.
Sani Abacha died unexpectedly in June 1998.
On 7 October 1998 Suleiman, NADECO Vice Chairman, returned to Nigeria.
He became a leader of the People's Democratic Party
(PDP) in Adamawa State
. The party went on to win the national elections in 1999.
He also became chairman of the Middle Belt Forum
.
In September 2001, as chairman of the MBF Suleiman said the middle belters are grossly marginalised and have become an endangered species on the brink of extinction and cultural annihilation.
In the 2003 PDP primaries in Delta State
, Suleiman was head of the electoral panel.
He joined the board of directors of Trans Nationwide Express.
As of 2006, Suleiman was Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation.
In June 2007 he was summoned to Russia's Foreign Ministry to discuss the kidnapping of six Russian employees of RUSAL, the world's largest aluminium producer. The workers were snatched from the company's residential compound in the Niger Delta.
In June 2009, President Umaru Yar'Adua appointed him chairman of the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
between July 1975 and March 1976, and was military governor of Plateau State
Plateau State
Plateau State is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is roughly located in the center of the country. It is geographically unique in Nigeria because its boundaries totally surround the Jos Plateau, having the Jos Plateau totally in its central and northern part...
from March 1976 to July 1978 after it had been created from part of the old Benue Plateau State.
After the return to democracy in 1999 with the Nigerian Fourth Republic
Nigerian Fourth Republic
The Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
, Suleiman became chairman of the Middle Belt Forum
Middle Belt Forum
The Middle Belt Forum is a regional socio-political group in Nigeria that promotes the interests of the people of the Middle Belt region, a loosely-defined area between the Moslem and Hausa-dominated North and the predominantly Christian Igbo and Yoruba areas of the Southeast and Southwest. The...
(MBF), a socio-political group representing the people of the Middle Belt
Middle Belt
The Middle Belt is a human geographical term designating the region of central Nigeria populated largely by minority ethnic groups and stretching across the country longitudinally. The Middle Belt is indeterminate in that it lacks designated "borders" and is charactized by a heterogeneity and...
of Nigeria.
Military career
Suleiman played a leading role during the Nigerian Civil WarNigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
(1966–1970).
He was appointed to the cabinet of General Yakubu Gowon
Yakubu Gowon
General Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another...
in January 1975.
As Federal Commissioner for Special Duties he was instrumental in founding the Economic Community of West African States
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region....
(ECOWAS).
He assisted in the military rebellion of July 29, 1975 when Gowon was deposed, replaced by General Murtala Muhammed.
Following the coup, he was named a member of the Supreme Military Council.
Murtala Mohammed appointed him Commissioner for Health.
Suleiman was appointed the first military governor of Plateau State
Plateau State
Plateau State is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is roughly located in the center of the country. It is geographically unique in Nigeria because its boundaries totally surround the Jos Plateau, having the Jos Plateau totally in its central and northern part...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
from March 1976 to July 1978, after Benue-Plateau State
Benue-Plateau State
Benue-Plateau State is a former administrative division of Nigeria. It was created on 27 May 1967 from parts of the Northern Region and existed until 3 February 1976, when it was divided into two states - Benue and Plateau...
was divided into Benue State
Benue State
Benue is a state in the Middle-Belt region of Nigeria with a population of about 2.8 million in 1991. Tiv, Idoma, and Igede are spoken predominantly. There are other ethnic groups as well. These include Etulo and Abakwa...
and Plateau State.
As governor, he made the progressive proposal that anyone born in Plateau State or anyone who had lived in the state for 20 years should enjoy all the rights and privileges of a native regardless of their ethnic origin.
Suleiman retired in 1980 as an Air Commodore.
Political career
Suleiman was Chairman of Allied Bank of Nigeria Plc between 1984 and 1986.Suleiman resisted the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
after the elections of 12 June 1993 were annulled. As one of the founders of the National Democratic Coalition
National Democratic Coalition (Nigeria)
The National Democratic Coalition was formed on May 15, 1994 by a broad coalition of Nigerian democrats, who called on the military government of Sani Abacha to step down in favor of the winner of the June 12, 1993 election, M. K. O...
(NADECO) he was forced into exile.
Sani Abacha died unexpectedly in June 1998.
On 7 October 1998 Suleiman, NADECO Vice Chairman, returned to Nigeria.
He became a leader of the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) in Adamawa State
Adamawa State
Adamawa is a state in northeastern Nigeria, with its capital at Yola. It was formed in 1991 from part of Gongola State with four administrative divisions namely: Adamawa, Ganye, Mubi and Numan. It is one of the thirty-six States which constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria.-Geography:Adamawa...
. The party went on to win the national elections in 1999.
He also became chairman of the Middle Belt Forum
Middle Belt Forum
The Middle Belt Forum is a regional socio-political group in Nigeria that promotes the interests of the people of the Middle Belt region, a loosely-defined area between the Moslem and Hausa-dominated North and the predominantly Christian Igbo and Yoruba areas of the Southeast and Southwest. The...
.
In September 2001, as chairman of the MBF Suleiman said the middle belters are grossly marginalised and have become an endangered species on the brink of extinction and cultural annihilation.
In the 2003 PDP primaries in Delta State
Delta State
Delta State may refer to:*Delta State, a state in southern Nigeria.*Delta State , a Canadian animated television series.*Delta State University, a public university located in the U.S. state of Mississippi....
, Suleiman was head of the electoral panel.
He joined the board of directors of Trans Nationwide Express.
As of 2006, Suleiman was Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation.
In June 2007 he was summoned to Russia's Foreign Ministry to discuss the kidnapping of six Russian employees of RUSAL, the world's largest aluminium producer. The workers were snatched from the company's residential compound in the Niger Delta.
In June 2009, President Umaru Yar'Adua appointed him chairman of the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria.