SOJI-EZE FAGBEMI, Abuja - 31.05.2006

President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who paid visits to Chief Lar, said they learnt of the former PDP chairman’s poor health with distress.

Specifically, President Obasanjo said he was distressed to learn about the ill-health of the elder statesman, especially at this time of the political evolution of the country.

The president, according to a statement signed by the Personal Assistant to Chief Lar, Mr. Lawan Barau, therefore, sent a get-well-quick message to him.

While President Obasanjo’s message was delivered by a Senior Special Assistant, Mr. Bodunde Adeyanju, Vice President Atiku, who was accompanied by some PDP faithfuls, described Chief Lar as a national asset of which every Nigerian should be proud.

The vice president recalled the sacrifices Chief Lar and other patriots made for the enthronement of democracy in the country and for the emancipation of the down-trodden, even at the risk of their lives.

He prayed God to grant the veteran politician and former governor of old Plateau State “a speedy recovery and many more years of fruitful service to the nation.”

Meanwhile, Chief Lar, who has cancelled all official engagements in keeping with his doctor’s advice, has described the death of Colonel Yohanna Madaki as a rude shock.

Chief Lar, who said his death was so sudden, pointed out that he was not even aware of his ill-health, adding that Col. Madaki was a democrat to the core.

He stated that he worked closely with the late former military governor of the defunct Gongola State and Benue State as a politician, stating that “I admired his love not only for democracy and the party, but also for the unity of the country.”

As a member of PDP, he said Col. Madaki was very frank and fearless in proffering his learned legal advice to the party and expressed no doubt that the PDP he (Madaki) helped to midwife, would have been different if he were still alive today.