Senate President Godswill Akpabio has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a spartan and disciplined leader whose time in public office was marked by integrity and sacrifice, not personal enrichment. Akpabio delivered the remarks during an expanded Federal Executive Council session held in Buhari’s honour on Thursday at the State House in Abuja.
Reflecting on Buhari’s legacy, Akpabio said the former president’s greatest strength lay not in public applause but in his unwavering moral compass. “President Buhari believed that discipline mattered. That integrity mattered. That leadership, even when lonely, must be anchored in something greater than power,” he said. According to him, Buhari’s approach to leadership was deliberate and selfless, guided more by conscience than convenience. “He did not seek to ride waves of popular acclaim; he walked, with steadiness and often in solitude, along the ridge of national conscience.”
Akpabio, who previously served under Buhari’s administration as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, praised him as a patriot who remained loyal to Nigeria through decades of service. “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, adding that Buhari’s critics often respected his forthrightness and refusal to bend under pressure.
Akpabio maintained Buhari’s dedication to the country, whether in military uniform or civilian garb, remained consistent throughout his life. “Whether in khaki or agbada, he remained firm in his belief that Nigeria was worth fighting for.”
