• Former First Lady Aisha absent
• Buhari’s legacy defined by discipline, integrity, duty, says Akpabio
• Yusuf, Hanan thank Tinubu, Nigerians for honouring, forgiving late father

President Bola Tinubu yesterday announced the renaming of the University of Maiduguri as Muhammadu Buhari University, in honour of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died in London on Sunday at the age of 82. The announcement came during a special session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The solemn gathering was convened to pay tribute to Buhari, who led Nigeria as a civilian president from 2015 to 2023 and was buried on Tuesday in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State, according to Islamic rites.

The session was marked by a sombre atmosphere as dignitaries, many dressed in black or white, gathered to reflect on Buhari’s legacy. Among those present were Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.

Notably absent was the former First Lady, Dr Aisha Buhari. However, the late president’s children, led by Yusuf Buhari, were in attendance and sat to the left of President Tinubu during the proceedings.

President Tinubu arrived at the Council Chamber at 5:27 p.m. and formally opened the session with the national anthem before delivering a heartfelt tribute. He described the late Buhari as a “decent, honourable, and good man”, whose legacy was defined more by his actions than by grand speeches.

“He was respectful without pretence to his peers. He was kind to those who served under him. Even in death, he maintained the serenity that defined him in life,” Tinubu said.

“His patriotism was lived more in action than in words. The authority of office never changed him. In the face of crisis, he remained resolute.”
President Tinubu said renaming the University of Maiduguri after the former president was a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated his life to service, particularly to the North-East, where the institution is located and where Buhari played a critical role in combating insurgency.

The special FEC session also featured tributes from several council members and dignitaries, who highlighted Buhari’s contributions to Nigeria’s political stability, economic reforms, and national security.

Tinubu had earlier declared a seven-day period of national mourning and directed all flags to be flown at half-mast. A national public holiday was observed on Tuesday, July 15, to coincide with Buhari’s burial.

Those in attendance included Vice President Kashim Shettima; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Deputy Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Hadejia; and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack.

Also present were Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who chairs the Nigeria Governors’ Forum; Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, who leads the Progressive Governors’ Forum; and several cabinet ministers.

Prominent among those who paid tributes were Akpabio, Abbas, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; and Minister of Works, David Umahi.

In a brief remark on behalf of the family, Yusuf Muhammadu Buhari expressed deep gratitude to President Tinubu and the Federal Government for organising a befitting burial and national tribute for his late father.

Buhari’s legacy defined by discipline, integrity, duty, says Akpabio
Senate President Godswill Akpabio yesterday paid tribute to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a man of discipline and integrity who left a lasting imprint on Nigeria’s leadership.

Speaking during the special session of the expanded Federal Executive Council meeting held in Buhari’s honour, Akpabio said the former president may not have been perfect, but he stood firmly for discipline, honour and patriotism.

Akpabio, who once served as a minister under Buhari’s administration, extolled the late leader as one who served Nigeria without mismanaging the nation’s treasury.

“President Buhari did not merely pass through the corridors of power. He left his boots and his imprints in them. Buhari was not perfect. No leader is. But he was principled. He stood for something.

“In a world where it is easy to chase headlines, he chose instead to chase honour. Where others sought glory, he sought duty,” Akpabio said. The Senate President described Buhari as austere and unflamboyant, yet driven by a deep sense of duty and patriotism.

He said: “And let us be honest, he was tough. He was a soldier who did not flinch under fire, a leader who did not flee from responsibility, and above all, a Nigerian whose loyalty to this nation was never up for sale.

“His toughness was born not out of pride but of a patriotism, a fierce, unrelenting belief that Nigeria, with all its challenges, was still worth fighting for. And yet some disagree with him.

“That is the nature of democracy. But even his fiercest critics will admit that he did not pilfer the nation’s boss, nor pander to its pleasures to the very end.”

Reflecting on his time in Buhari’s cabinet, Akpabio said, “As a minister in his cabinet, appointed by him, I saw President Buhari unplugged. He was not flamboyant—far from it. His voice was measured. His steps, deliberate. His public demeanour, austere.

“But beneath that calm exterior beat the heart of a patriot—unyielding, unbending, and utterly uninterested in personal comfort when duty called.”
He added that Buhari’s legacy was not only in his achievements but also in the moral standard he upheld in governance.

“He believed that discipline mattered. That integrity mattered. That leadership, even when lonely, must be anchored in something greater than power,” Akpabio stated. He acknowledged that Buhari’s style may have attracted criticism but insisted that even his detractors could not fault his moral uprightness.

“Let us be honest—he was tough. He was a soldier who did not flinch under fire, a leader who did not flee from responsibility, and above all, a Nigerian whose loyalty to this nation was never up for sale.

“And yes, some disagreed with him. That is the nature of democracy. But even his fiercest critics will admit he did not pilfer the nation’s purse, nor pander to its pleasures. He remained, to the very end, a sentinel of Spartan simplicity and austere integrity,” he said. Akpabio concluded that Buhari’s name would be remembered in history not for flamboyance or fanfare, but for his resolute commitment to national duty.

“Let it be said by generations to come, that a man once walked this land with a firm gait, a steady gaze, and an iron sense of duty. His name was Muhammadu Buhari,” he stated.

Yusuf Buhari thanks Tinubu, Nigerians for honouring late father
Yusuf Buhari, son of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for honouring his father with a befitting state funeral. He made the remarks yesterday during the expanded Federal Executive Council meeting held in Abuja in honour of the former president.

Yusuf, who attended the special session alongside his siblings, thanked President Tinubu and his administration for their support to his late father and the bereaved family. He also extended gratitude to the National Assembly, Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, other governors, and Nigerians for standing by them during the mourning period.

“It has shown that he (Buhari) was regarded far more than a politician, but regarded as a friend and a father. To all members of the Federal Executive Council, for the care and befitting burial accorded to our late father, we appreciate you all,” Yusuf said.

“I also wish to thank the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and all the distinguished and honourable members of the National Assembly for honouring the memory of our late father during the state burial in Daura.

“Your visits, calls, and prayers symbolise a great honour to the memory of our late father, and we’re sincerely grateful for all the support and solidarity extended to the family. May Allah continue to bless us all.”

Hanan Buhari thanks Nigerians for forgiving late father’s shortcomings
Hanan Buhari, daughter of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has expressed gratitude to Nigerians who forgave her father for any wrongdoings during his time in office.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service yesterday, monitored by The Guardian, Hanan shared her grief over her father’s passing and thanked those who extended forgiveness and compassion. Her comments came days after the former president died in London on Sunday at the age of 82.

The Guardian reports that Buhari’s death has continued to generate widespread reactions across the country, with many Nigerians saying they had forgiven the former leader’s perceived shortcomings during his presidency.

Muhammadu Buhari served as Nigeria’s president from 2015 to 2023, leaving behind a legacy that drew both praise and criticism. While supporters lauded his anti-corruption efforts and perceived integrity, critics pointed to economic challenges, worsening insecurity, and alleged human rights abuses during his tenure.