Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State have mourned the passing of former president Muhammadu Buhari at the age of 82.
The former Nigerian leader who died on Sunday in a hospital in London after a protracted illness, was also mourned by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs (2019 – 2023) and the All Progressives Congress (APC ).
Commenting on his death, Atiku Abubakar described him as a man whose life was defined by unflinching patriotism, stoic discipline, and a lifelong commitment to the sovereignty and unity of the nation.
He said President Buhari was not just a former Head of State, but a symbol of Nigeria’s resilience. Noting that from the battlefield to the corridors of power, he served with the kind of austere conviction and firm belief in duty that marked him as a soldier of principle and a leader of formidable will.
Atiku said his death was not just a loss to his immediate family and the people of Daura, but a profound national tragedy.
“Nigeria has lost a statesman who bore the burdens of leadership in both turbulent and triumphant times and whose legacy will be remembered for generations to come,” he said.
He offered his deepest condolences to his beloved family, the good people of Katsina State and the entire nation. He prayed for God to forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest.
Also in his condolence message, Mr. Peter Obi said buhari’s death provided a solemn moment, not just for his family and close associates, but for the nation as a whole. Saying that President Buhari has always comported himself in a dignified manner as a leader.
“To his wife, children, extended family, and to all Nigerians I extend my deepest condolences. May Almighty Allah, Most Gracious and Most Merciful, forgive President Buhari’s shortcomings, reward his efforts in service to the nation, and grant him Aljannatul Firdaus. Ameen,” he wrote on his X handle.
On his part, Senator Bala Mohammed said President Buhari was a great leader who served Nigeria with commitment and a deep sense of duty. Adding that his contributions to national development and his steadfastness in leadership would be remembered.
According to Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Buhari was an honest man of consistent simplicity, spartan discipline, and dogged dedication to the lifelong principles that guided his service as a decorated officer, military head of state, and popularly elected leader of Africa’s largest population.
“My former boss was a man of method, structure, and exemplary discipline who generations of Nigerians will remember as a leader of unimpeachable personal integrity.
“President Buhari was a progressive who believed in the great destiny of our nation, and a relentless champion of the nation’s disadvantaged.
“His legacies of widespread infrastructural provision across rail, road, seaports, airports, and power, and his humane investments in the provision of social amenities; alongside oil & gas sector reforms and the armament upgrades of the nation’s armed forces, amongst many other multi-faceted feats, will stand the test of time.
“He will be sorely missed by millions of his dedicated followers, and I shall forever be proud of our association and indebted to him for the opportunity he extended to me to serve the nation we love. May his soul rest in perfect peace,” he wrote on his X handle.
Also Governor Alia in his Condolence Message, described the late President Mohammadu Buhari, as one who was resolute and committed to national development above earthly possessions, leaving behind a legacy that is deeply rooted in integrity.
He said Buhari during his remarkable service, spanning both his tenure as a military leader between January 1984 and August 1985, and his time as a democratically elected president between 2015-2023, left indelible marks on the nation’s history, insisting that the former President served Nigeria with unwavering courage and conviction, consistently prioritizing the nation’s interests and the well-being of its people.
The governor added that the country will miss a statesman, a patriot, and a leader who committed his entire life to the service of Nigeria.
He prayed to God to condole his immediate family and the entire nation over the loss, and to also grant the former President eternal rest.
Meanwhile, the APC said Nigeria has lost an enigmatic leader, iconic elder-statesman, and exemplary patriot whose life of devoted resolve, resilience, discipline and integrity will remain evergreen in the hearts and minds of this and future generations of Nigerians.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said against the backdrop of his record of military service, the departed former President was an unlikely democrat but is one of the most influential contributors to the strengthening and consolidation of our democracy.
APC affirmed that aside from his stint with the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), he led the emergence of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) which later merged with other political parties to birth the APC in 2013.
It noted that the late President Buhari made history when he became the first presidential contender to defeat an incumbent President in 2015 on the platform of APC.
“On behalf of the Acting National Chairman, Hon. Bukar Dalori, the National Working Committee (NWC), members and all stakeholders of our great Party, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the former President’s immediate family, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the entire federal government of Nigeria, the government and people of Katsina State, and all Nigerians over this massive and irreparable loss. May the Almighty Allah grant his soul Aljannatul Firdaus. Amen,” the party stated in the statement.
