President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has paid a heartfelt tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a man of rare discipline and integrity who served Nigeria without personal enrichment.
Speaking during an expanded Federal Executive Council (FEC) session held in Buhari’s honour at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday, Akpabio praised the former leader as a soldier-statesman whose enduring legacy lies in selflessness, honesty, and patriotism.
“President Buhari believed that discipline mattered. That integrity mattered. That leadership, even when lonely, must be anchored in something greater than power,” Akpabio stated.
He emphasised that Buhari’s tenure was marked not by extravagance but by a strong sense of duty to the nation.
“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 added.
Akpabio, who previously served as a minister under Buhari, said the former president’s forthrightness and austere lifestyle earned him respect even among his fiercest critics.
“His toughness was born not of pride, but of patriotism, a fierce, unrelenting belief that Nigeria, with all its challenges, was still worth fighting for. Whether in khaki or agbada, he remained firm in his belief that Nigeria was worth fighting for,” he stated.
