Senate President Godswill Akpabio has paid glowing tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a leader of unwavering discipline and incorruptibility who never misappropriated public funds.
Akpabio made the remarks during an expanded Federal Executive Council session held in Buhari’s honor at the State House, Abuja on Thursday.
The Senate President, who previously served as a minister under Buhari, highlighted the former leader’s legacy of principled leadership.
“President Buhari believed that discipline mattered. That integrity mattered. That leadership, even when lonely, must be anchored in something greater than power,” Akpabio stated.
Akpabio painted a portrait of a leader who prioritized national interest over popularity, noting: “He did not seek to ride waves of popular acclaim; he walked, with steadiness and often in solitude, along the ridge of national conscience.”
The Senate President acknowledged that even Buhari’s critics couldn’t dispute his honesty and dedication. “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,” Akpabio said.
He traced Buhari’s patriotic consistency across different phases of his service: “Whether in khaki or agbada, he remained firm in his belief that Nigeria was worth fighting for.”
Akpabio emphasized that the former president’s toughness stemmed from deep patriotism rather than personal pride, describing it as “a fierce, unrelenting belief that Nigeria, with all its challenges, was still worth fighting for.”
The tribute comes as Nigeria continues to reflect on Buhari’s eight-year presidency marked by his anti-corruption stance and disciplined approach to governance, though not without its controversies and criticisms regarding economic management and security challenges.