Garba Shehu mourns Buhari, says he was the ‘best of Nigeria’

Garba Shehu, the former presidential spokesperson, has paid tribute to Muhammadu Buhari who died on July 13 at a hospital in London.

Shehu described him as a rare figure in political life, adding that he is an “incorruptible servant of the people” whose dedication to public service, discipline, and patriotism defined his legacy.

In a heartfelt tribute on Sunday, Shehu said Buhari was not by pride or wealth, but by a deep commitment to Nigeria’s unity and progress.

“Muhammadu Buhari was the rarest of individuals to grace political life anywhere in the world: an incorruptible servant of the people. He was not motivated by pride, or by riches – the accumulation of which repelled him,” he said.

“He was drawn to public service, discipline, and patriotism, and the unity of Nigeria as a one nation and one idea.

“In his long service, first in the military he campaigned to keep Nigeria as a single country, and later briefly holding the position of head of state, he fought to tackle rampant corruption.”

Shehu said during his tenure, Buhari faced global economic challenges and the threat of terrorism in the Sahel, adding that he introduced welfare programmes and decisively weakened Boko Haram.

“He tackled both, creating new and welcome welfare programmes, and decisively breaking the power of Boko Haram,” he said.

“Facing down accusations of favouring the north, he created ranches for northern herders to protect the livelihoods of southern farmers, saving lives and fostering better relations.

“A deeply religious man, he was the opposite of partisan – enlisting a southern pastor as his two-time running-mate and regularly writing about Christianity and its relations with his own Muslim faith.

”Muhammadu Buhari led a life full enough for many men. He will be remembered best by his own words: ‘I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody’. He was the best of Nigeria, and we are all less without him.”