Tributes have continued to pour in for the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday in a London hospital at the age of 82.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) described his life as one defined by duty, integrity, and national purpose.
In separate tributes on Monday, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, said Buhari’s legacy stands as a shining example of discipline and unwavering commitment to public service.
“I received with sadness, but with gratitude to God for a life well lived, the news of the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari,” she said.
“I commiserate with his immediate family, the government and people of Katsina State, and indeed all Nigerians, on the passing of a statesman who led with firmness, both as a military ruler and as a democratically elected President,” the CJN added.
Justice Kekere-Ekun noted that Buhari remained true to his ideals through turbulent political moments, adding that he embodied rare resilience and consistency of purpose.
“President Buhari’s life was defined by duty, discipline, and a rare consistency of purpose. His unwavering belief in the Nigerian project, despite trials and disappointments, speaks to a deep faith in the country’s promise,” she said.
“In a time when values appear to shift with the tide, his example urges us to remember the enduring strength of perseverance, principle, and service.”
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, also joined in mourning the late president, hailing him as a man whose legacy of national transformation would long outlive him.
In a statement on Monday, Fagbemi described Buhari as “a man of austere values, gentle strength, unyielding integrity, and a life defined by principled service.”
The AGF highlighted some of Buhari’s far-reaching reforms in the justice and governance sectors during his tenure between 2015 and 2023.
These, he said, included modernization of correctional services, policing reforms, stronger anti-money laundering laws, improved asset recovery systems, electoral reforms, and constitutional amendments to deepen federalism.
He also commended Buhari’s leadership in Nigeria’s legal battle against the controversial $11bn P&ID arbitration award.
According to Fagbemi, Buhari initiated the process that was later concluded under President Bola Tinubu, saving the country from a potential economic catastrophe.
Fagbemi recalled that in retirement, Buhari continued to serve the country, including when he travelled to Paris in January 2025 to testify as a witness in another major legal case over the Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project.
“Despite the demands of age and the comfort of private life, former President Buhari selflessly agreed to serve as a witness. He stood before the tribunal, bearing testimony for the country he loved with rare and steadfast conviction,” the AGF said.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also paid its respects to the late leader, noting that though Buhari’s early leadership as a military ruler was marked by tension with labour unions, he later evolved into a president who stood with Nigerian workers.
In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the union said: “We are deeply saddened by the news of the passing away of our former President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari… Our hearts are with the immediate family, friends, and associates in these trying moments, especially his activist wife, Hajiya Aisha.”
Ajaero recalled that Buhari’s military regime was notorious for mass retrenchments and conflict with organised labour, resulting in significant suffering. However, he praised Buhari’s second coming as a civilian president as a turning point in his relationship with Nigerian workers.
“As a civilian president, Buhari saw to it that no worker was laid off—not even during the Covid-19 pandemic. He repeatedly gave facilities to state governments to clear salary backlogs and pensions, although some governors betrayed that trust,” he said.
He also commended Buhari’s resistance to pressures from global financial institutions to adopt harsh economic reforms, noting that while he increased fuel prices, he refused to sell Nigeria’s refineries or devalue the Naira.
“In the late President, we have lost a leader who corrected his mistakes against workers during his second coming; who stood with the people and country, a leader who truly put the country first no matter the cost,” Ajaero added.
