President Tinubu, Cabinet Honour Late President Buhari with Emotional FEC Tribute, University Renaming

President Tinubu, Cabinet Honour Late President Buhari with Emotional FEC Tribute, University Renaming

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday led members of his cabinet, state governors, and top government officials in an emotional tribute to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, during a special session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) held in Abuja.

The solemn ceremony, which featured moving tributes from ministers and political leaders, celebrated the life and legacy of the eighth President of Nigeria, who died on July 13, 2025. President Tinubu hailed Buhari as a symbol of discipline, patriotism, and integrity, whose leadership would be remembered for generations.

In honour of the departed leader, President Tinubu announced the renaming of the University of Maiduguri, now to be called Muhammadu Buhari University, marking a significant national gesture to immortalize the late statesman.

“Today, we gather under a heavy shadow,” Tinubu said. “President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR… has gone to rest. He was first among soldiers in war, first among citizens in peace, and first… in the hearts of his fellow citizens.”

Tinubu described Buhari as a fearless defender of Nigeria’s unity, lauding his austere lifestyle, incorruptibility, and quiet but resolute leadership. He emphasized that while Buhari may not have been a perfect man, he was “a good, decent, and honourable man whose legacy will endure.”

During the session, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, revealed a previously undisclosed letter from Buhari dated June 9, 2022, which rallied APC governors to support Tinubu’s presidential bid. The letter, addressed to the APC Governors Forum, dispelled past speculation of Buhari’s indifference to Tinubu’s campaign.

In the letter, Buhari wrote: “Our candidate, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu… is our friend and brother. I look forward to working closely with APC Governors to support him and all our APC candidates to success in 2023.”

Other dignitaries paid glowing tributes. Senate President Godswill Akpabio described Buhari as “a principled leader who prioritised duty over comfort.” Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, hailed the late President’s modesty and sense of duty, saying he “embodied quiet strength and moral clarity.”

Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, called Buhari “a patriot and statesman,” while Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, praised his “unwavering faith and integrity.”

Ministers Ali Pate, Dave Umahi, Festus Keyamo, Imaan Suliaman-Ibrahim, and Head of the Civil Service Didi Walson-Jack also delivered tributes, describing Buhari’s leadership as inspirational and deeply transformative.

In a heartfelt message, Yusuf Buhari, the late President’s son, expressed gratitude on behalf of the family to President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, their wives, and all Nigerians for their outpouring of love and support.

“It showed that he was regarded far more than a politician, but regarded as a friend and a father to all,” he said.

President Buhari, a former military Head of State, returned as a democratically elected President in 2015 and served two terms until 2023. His legacy as an anti-corruption crusader and a leader with a deep sense of duty remains a defining chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey.