Senate President Godswill Akpabio has described former President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s most honest leader, saying he governed without mismanaging the country’s treasury. Akpabio made this statement during an expanded Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja on Thursday to honour Buhari, who died on Sunday in London at the age of 82.
Akpabio Says Buhari Served Without Stealing
Akpabio praised Buhari as a man of integrity, insisting that even those who disagreed with his leadership style would admit that he did not steal public funds. “And let us be honest, he was tough. He was a soldier who did not flinch under fire, a leader who did not flee from responsibility, and above all, a Nigerian whose loyalty to this nation was never up for sale,” he said.
He added that Buhari’s toughness was driven by patriotism, not pride. According to him, the late president believed Nigeria, with all its flaws, was worth fighting for. “Even his fiercest critics will admit that he did not pilfer the nation’s boss, nor pander to its pleasures to the very end,” Akpabio said.
Buhari’s Life of Service Remembered
The event was attended by ministers, governors, the leadership of the National Assembly, and Buhari’s family led by his son, Yusuf. Akpabio noted that Buhari chose duty over glory and faced challenges head-on.
“President Buhari did not merely pass through the corridors of power; he left his boots and imprints in them. He believed that discipline mattered, that integrity mattered, that leadership, even when lonely, must be anchored on something greater than power,” he added.
Buhari, who previously ruled Nigeria as a military leader, later served as a civilian president from 2015 to 2023. His remains were flown back to Nigeria on Tuesday and received by President Bola Tinubu at the Katsina Airport before being buried in Daura with full state honours.
Debate Over Buhari’s Legacy
Akpabio’s tribute has raised debates about Buhari’s legacy. While many agree with his position on Buhari’s honesty, some Nigerians question whether integrity alone is enough when economic hardship and insecurity defined much of his tenure. Still, for Akpabio and those who shared his view, Buhari’s refusal to enrich himself while in power remains a rare quality in Nigerian politics, one they believe deserves recognition.
