President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a “patriot whose legacy will endure.”
Tinubu said Buhari’s service and sacrifice to the nation will remain etched in the nation’s collective memory as Nigerians pay tribute to the departed leader.
He announced that an emergency Federal Executive Council session would be held Tuesday in honour of the late former president.
In a personal tribute on Sunday, Tinubu said he received news of Buhari’s passing in a UK hospital “with a heavy heart.”
”President Buhari was to the very core, a patriot, a soldier, a statesman. His legacy of service and sacrifice endures.”
”He served Nigeria with unwavering dedication, first as a military leader from January, 1984 to August, 1985, and later as a democratically elected President from 2015 to 2023.”
”Duty, honour, and a deep commitment to the unity and progress of our nation defined his life.”
”He stood firm through the most turbulent times, leading with quiet strength, profound integrity, and an unshakable belief in Nigeria’s potential.”
”He championed discipline in public service, confronted corruption head-on, and placed the country above personal interest at every turn.”
President Tinubu extended heartfelt condolences to Buhari’s wife, children, and the entire family.
”In this moment of national mourning, I extend my deepest condolences to his beloved wife, Aisha, with whom I have been in constant touch, his children, the entire Buhari family, and all who knew and loved him.”
”I also extend my condolences to the government and people of Katsina State, most especially the people and traditional leaders of Daura Emirate.”
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Tinubu said Buhari’s legacy will be remembered through national reflection and prayers for his peaceful repose.
As a mark of respect, Tinubu directed all national flags to fly at half-staff for seven days beginning Sunday.
He also confirmed that Buhari will receive full state honours in recognition of his contributions to Nigeria.
Nigeria’s former Military President, retired Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida said he was saddened with the sudden demise of former President Muhammadu Buhari in a London hospital on Sunday.
He said in an emotion-laden tribute, “It is with a deeply heavy heart that I received the news of the passing of my friend, my brother, my course mate, and a fellow soldier in the journey of nationhood — President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Our paths crossed in 1962 when we both joined the Nigerian Military Training College in Kaduna.
“From those early days, Muhammadu stood out — quiet yet resolute, principled yet humble, deeply patriotic and fiercely loyal to Nigeria.
“Through the years, we shared trenches and trials, dreams and disappointments, victories and moments of reflection.”
“Our bond was forged not only by military training, but by a shared commitment to the ideals of service, discipline, and love for country.”
During their long careers, fate placed both in leadership at different times, and in quite different circumstances, he recalled.
“But in all, Buhari remained consistent in his belief in integrity, order, and the dignity of public office.
He served Nigeria with a deep sense of responsibility and unwavering commitment, even when the road was lonely or misunderstood.
“Beyond the uniform and the public glare, I knew him as a deeply spiritual man, a man who found solace in faith, and who carried himself with the humility of someone who believed in a higher calling.
“We may not have agreed on everything — as brothers often don’t — but I never once doubted his sincerity or his patriotism.”
The former military president said the passing of Buhari on Sunday was not just the loss of a former Head of State, or a two-term civilian President.
“It is the loss of a symbol — a man whose life embodied the transition of Nigeria from the old guard to the new republic.
“A man who, even in retirement, remained a moral compass to many, and an example of modesty in public life.
“To his beloved wife Aisha, his children, grandchildren, and the nation he loved and served — I extend my deepest condolences.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has described the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari as a significant depletion in the ranks of Africa’s all-time great men.
The forum, in a statement issued in Ilorin on Sunday by its chairman, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, expressed a profound sense of loss and sadness at Buhari’s death in London on Sunday.
AbdulRazaq said Buhari was not just a former president or military leader; “He was a national political leader with profound moral courage, character, and amazing sense of duty.
“’He would be remembered for his humility, strategic patience, and modest lifestyle.”
The NGF Chairman, who is also the Kwara Governor, condoled President Bola Tinubu on the painful loss of his dear friend, compatriot, immediate predecessor, and fellow party man.
NAN
