Senate President Godswill Akpabio says the late former President Muhammadu Buhari lived a life of integrity and never sought popularity, even as he maintained a strict code of discipline while in office.
Buhari died on Sunday in a clinic in London, following a prolonged illness. He was buried at his residence in Daura, Katsina state, on Tuesday.
Speaking during the expanded federal executive council (FEC) meeting held in Buhari’s honour at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday, Akpabio said the late former president’s legacy was not in flamboyance, but in quiet, principled service.
“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,” the senate president said.
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Akpabio, who served as minister under Buhari, described him as a man who remained focused on national service and resisted the temptations of power.
“His public demeanour was austere, his steps deliberate, and his voice measured. Even his fiercest critics will admit he did not pilfer the nation’s purse nor pander to its pleasures,” he said.
Akpabio praised Buhari’s unflinching commitment to Nigeria, whether as a military leader or a civilian president.
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“Whether in khaki or agbada, he remained firm in his belief that Nigeria was worth fighting for,” he said.
“He may not have been perfect—no leader is—but he led with integrity, simplicity, and discipline.”
He said Buhari’s memory would endure as that of a leader who walked “with a firm gait, a steady gaze, and an iron sense of duty”.
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