Politics
Tinubu honours Buhari, renames UNIMAID after late ex-president
President Bola Tinubu has described the late former president, Muhammadu Buhari, as a patriot whose actions spoke louder than words.
Speaking during a special session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, Tinubu said Buhari’s life embodied integrity, humility, and selfless service to Nigeria.
The meeting, which had in attendance Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, governors, cabinet members, and other top officials, was convened to pay tribute to Buhari, who died on July 13 in London after a prolonged illness.
The late president was buried on Tuesday in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State, in line with Islamic rites. Buhari’s children were present at the session, although his wife, Dr. Aisha Buhari, was absent as chief mourner.
“A life of quiet courage”
In his address, Tinubu described Buhari as “a man of austere honour” who lived a life of quiet courage and moral fortitude.
“Today we gather under a heavy shadow to honour a leader whose presence once commanded this very room, whose convictions never bowed to the winds of public opinion. President Buhari’s patriotism was lived more in actions than in words,” Tinubu said.
“He was first among soldiers in war, first among citizens in peace, and first, without ambition or flattery, in the hearts of his fellow citizens. His was a life of piety without show, justice without cruelty, and sincerity without guile.”
Tinubu announced that the University of Maiduguri would be renamed in Buhari’s honour as part of the federal government’s efforts to immortalise him.
Legacy of service and democracy
The president recalled Buhari’s decades of public service, from his days as a young officer during the civil war to his tenure as Head of State, Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund, and two-term democratically elected president.
“His life traced the arc of Nigeria’s journey. From the battlefield to the corridors of power, he remained faithful to the task of nation-building. Together, we formed an alliance that gave Nigeria its first democratic transfer of power from one ruling party to another,” Tinubu noted.
“Even after leaving office, he returned to Daura without seeking to influence or interfere in governance. He was not perfect, but he was a good, decent, and honourable man whose moral force and incorruptible character will endure.”
Akpabio, Abbas extol Buhari
Senate President Akpabio hailed Buhari as “a sentinel of Spartan simplicity” and a leader who placed duty over personal comfort.
“Where others sought glory, he sought duty. His toughness was born not of pride, but of patriotism,” Akpabio said.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, described Buhari as “a moral compass” and “a mentor” whose life of modesty and principle stood in contrast to the materialism of the times.
“Buhari lived not for applause or affluence but for principle, for country, and for the cause of a better Nigeria,” Abbas said.
Family expresses gratitude
Yusuf Buhari, speaking on behalf of the late president’s family, thanked Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the leadership of the National Assembly, and the FEC for honouring his father’s memory.
Also present at the session were Head of Civil Service Dr. Didi Walson-Jack, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, and several ministers including Festus Keyamo (Aviation and Aerospace), Atiku Bagudu (Budget and Planning), Dele Alake (Solid Minerals), Ali Pate (Health), Dave Umahi (Works), and Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim (Women Affairs).
Tinubu concluded by urging Nigerians to uphold Buhari’s legacy of humility, discipline, and service.
“Let us honour him not only with words but by walking the path he charted — with courage, compassion, and unwavering faith in this nation,” he said.
