Buhari Gave Everything He Had To Nigeria — Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has paid tribute to late former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a selfless patriot who dedicated his entire life to the service of Nigeria and urging political leaders to emulate his values of honesty, simplicity and self-discipline.
Tinubu made the remarks on Monday in Abuja during a prayer session held to mark the first anniversary of Buhari's death. He was represented at the event by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The president said Buhari's transition from military ruler to civilian democrat made him a unique figure in Nigeria's political history, noting that his legacy extended beyond the offices he occupied to the consistency between his principles, words and actions.
“President Buhari gave everything he had to this country, and he gave it without reservation. He served with courage, with conviction, and with a patriotism that never asked what the nation could return to him,” Tinubu said.
Reflecting on their political partnership, the President described Buhari as a trusted ally in the quest to build a progressive and prosperous Nigeria.
“From his years as a military leader to his transformation into a democrat and a determined defender of constitutional order, he embodied the very spirit of change and of nation-building,” he added.
Tinubu said one of Buhari's greatest achievements was the enduring trust he retained among ordinary Nigerians even after leaving office, despite the pressures and controversies associated with leadership.
“When he laid down the burden of leadership, and through all the years of his retirement, the trust of ordinary Nigerians did not depart from him. It is not given. It is earned, and it is earned only through a lifetime of agreement between what a man says and what a man is,” he stated.
The president called on Buhari's associates, political allies and supporters to preserve the late leader's legacy by reflecting his values in both public service and private life.
"Our duty, as his friends and his associates, is to carry forward the inheritance he left us: honesty, simplicity, and self-discipline," Tinubu said.
He added that the most fitting tribute Nigerians could pay Buhari was to uphold the standards of integrity, patriotism and public responsibility that defined his life.
"We must continue to strive, in our own conduct, to approach the standard he kept. That is the only tribute worthy of him, and it is the one he would have asked for," the President said.
Tinubu also assured former First Lady Aisha Buhari and the Buhari family of the Federal Government's continued support, saying, "Please be assured that the nation and this administration stand beside you, now and in all the years to come."
He concluded by praying for Allah's comfort for the Buhari family and for the late former President to be granted Aljannah Firdaus.