Tributes as PDP woman leader burnt to death is buried

The charred remains of Salome Abuh, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) woman leader, who was burnt alive at Ochadamu, Kogi state, on November 18, have been committed to mother earth.

Abuh was laid to rest amid tears and wailing by relations, friends and associates on Saturday at her village, Aji-Obala, Ofu local government area.

John Adino, officiating minister of the United Evangelical Church, Idah, in his sermon, called on Christians to give their lives to Christ before it is too late.

”It is always good for people to die in the course of the Lord,” he said.

While reading from the book of Revelation, chapter 14 verse 13, Adino said all human beings would face the ultimate judgment of the Almighty God.

“Whether human beings like it or not, judgement day is awaiting every mortal. No lawyer will defend or stand for any one except the good things people did while on earth,” he said.

The cleric lamented that public office holders in the country had lost focus and failed woefully in providing basic amenities for the people.

He charged political leaders to always remember that they would account for their deeds and misdeeds before God.

Abuh was burnt alive in her house at Ochadamu Kogi shortly after the announcement of the results of the November 16 governorship election.

The state police command had said that six suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident.

In a tribute, Simeon Abuh, husband of the deceased, said his late wife had paid the supreme price for the “unity of Igalaland”.

He described her as “a martyr, whose political sagacity will remain fresh in the mind of her associates”.

Abuh called on the police and the federal government to ensure the killers of his wife were made to face justice.

Musa Wada, candidate of the PDP in the governorship election, said the deceased died for Kogi and Igala nation as a whole.

Wada promised to keep her memory alive by maintaining focus on plans to liberate the people of the state from the hands of oppressors.

He said no amount of intimidation and harassment could stop him from “reclaiming the stolen mandate” freely given to him on November 16.

“I am not going to relent a little bit; I will pursue this gruesome and senseless killing of Mrs. Abuh to its logical conclusion,” he said.

“Whenever I think of the circumstances of her death, I wonder who will ever wish that for his enemy, but the unfortunate thing is that the killing was perpetrated by the children of Igala nation, who joined hands with the oppressors to kill members of the opposition parties.

“Regardless of their intimidation and oppression, we will reclaim our stolen mandate because they are just keeping it temporarily.”

Margaret Omoniyi, state PDP woman leader, described the late Salome Abuh as a lively person, and a committed and versatile politician.

She urged the children of the deceased to follow her footsteps by upholding her good legacies.

Also speaking, the only son of the deceased, David Abuh, described his mother as a lover of people, who had invested much in assisting the needy in the society.

He called on the federal government to ensure that justice is done over the killing of his mother.