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Tag: Buhari’s death

  • Buhari’s death a major loss to Nigeria, Africa, says Shettima 

    Buhari’s death a major loss to Nigeria, Africa, says Shettima 

    …says Tinubu deeply pained by predecessor’s death

    …Radda, ministers, Peter Obi, Atiku, El-Rufai join Daura prayers

    Vice President Kashim Shettima has described the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari as a profound loss not only to Nigeria but to the entire African continent, even as he revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is personally pained by the late leader’s death.

    Shettima spoke on Wednesday in Daura, Katsina State, shortly after leading a prayer session at Buhari’s residence as part of the formal mourning activities directed by President Tinubu. 

    He was accompanied by a cross-party array of dignitaries including federal ministers, governors, opposition figures, and traditional leaders.

    According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said people from far and wide have called to commiserate with President Tinubu over the sad demise of our elder statesman.

    He stated that every soul shall test the torment of death, adding that while death is an inevitable destiny that hangs on everyone’s neck, everyone should consider themselves as travellers with their bags and baggage waiting for the train.

    VP Shettima prayed to Allah to grant the soul of the late former President Buhari eternal rest and reward him with Al-Jannah Firdaus and protect the family he left behind.

    He stated: “The President was personally pained by the loss. He sent me to London earlier on to go and visit the late President. I was there for two days, and when he answered the call of Allah, the President equally directed me and the Chief of Staff to go and accompany the family and the body of the late President back home.

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    “And in consultation with President Tinubu, the family of the late President Buhari and the Government of Katsina State, it was unanimously resolved that tomorrow (Thursday), by God’s grace, by noon, we shall all gather here to offer our prayers for the repose of the soul of the late President.”

    The Vice President noted that the late former President was not an ordinary person, just as he said, Nigerians from all walks of life are still free to come and offer their condolences to the Government and people of Katsina State.

    Shettima said the Katsina state governor will be in the state, and members of the family of the late President will be in Daura to accept condolences.

    “But the formal ceremony will come to an end tomorrow based on consultation between His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the family of the late President and the governor of Katsina state,” VP Shettima said.

    Earlier, the Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, said the demise of Buhari was a great loss to the people of Katsina, the nation and Africa in general.

    He urged leaders at all levels to sustain the legacies of the late President Buhari by ensuring transparency, honesty and accountability in governance, adding that “Buhari lived and died for the people.

    The governor appealed to all Nigerians to continue to pray for the repose of the soul of the late former President Buhari.

    Radda thanked President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for honouring the late former President and the people of Katsina with their presence during the burial.

    Also, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, extolled the virtues of the late former Nigerian leader.

    “We are here to pray for the repose of the soul of our former leader, President Muhammadu Buhari. May Allah accept his soul. Yesterday, as we all know, the former President was buried here in his compound, and it was witnessed by people from all walks of life, including the President of Nigeria, President Tinubu, GCFR.

    “Today we have come to offer condolences and to also offer prayers for the repose of the soul of the former President,” the Minister said.

    On his part, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, said he worked closely with the late Buhari as a member of his cabinet, adding that Buhari demonstrated a high sense of leadership, integrity and other leadership qualities.

    “Late former President Buhari tried his best to fight corruption at all levels of government. We also tried our best to improve the quality of the Nigerian economy. We thank Allah for providing us with a leader of that quality, and we are here today praying for the repose of his soul. We pray to Allah to grant him Aljannah,” Dingyadi prayed.

    Dignitaries present are the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; Minister of Environment, Alhaji Balarabe Abbas; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu; the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); and the Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud.

    Others include the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Prince Shaibu Abubakar; Minister of State for Works, Barrister Bello Goronyo; 2023 Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi; former SGF, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Director General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Rufai Ahmed; former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, and former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai.

    Also present are the former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Ali Pantami; former FCT Minister, Malam Musa Bello; the Emir of Daura, HRH, Alhaji Umar Farouk; and former Minister of Water Resources, Malam Suleiman Adamu, among others.

  • Buhari’s death a national loss, says Onuigbo

    Buhari’s death a national loss, says Onuigbo

    The South-East representative on the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Hon. Sam Onuigbo, has described the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari as a monumental loss to the nation.

    Buhari, who died on Sunday at a clinic in London at the age of 82, was laid to rest on Tuesday in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.

    Reacting to the development, Onuigbo, a former two-term member of the House of Representatives, said Buhari’s passing has created a huge vacuum in Nigeria’s leadership and policy space.

    He particularly praised the late President’s role in finally signing the long-delayed Climate Change Bill into law, a move he said marked a turning point for environmental policy in Nigeria.

    Onuigbo recalled that the Climate Change Bill had suffered repeated setbacks, having been rejected during the 6th, 7th, and even 8th Assemblies. However, Buhari eventually assented to the bill on November 17, 2021, during the 9th Assembly, transforming it into the Climate Change Act.

    According to him, Buhari’s action was pivotal in positioning Nigeria on the global climate governance map.

    “The signing of the Climate Change Act remains one of the late President’s enduring legacies. It was a visionary step that ensured Nigeria joined the League of Nations with a comprehensive framework for addressing climate change,” Onuigbo said.

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    In a statement on Tuesday, Onuigbo said: “By that singular act and focus on proactive legislation, the former President made Nigeria stand tall in the international community.

    “His death has robbed the country of a rich source of international pride. Late President Buhari won respect for Nigeria through his insistence on excellence.”

    The former lawmaker, who is currently chairman of the Security, Climate Change and Special Interventions Committee of the NEDC, said that the late Buhari made him feel a sense of national pride when he signed the legacy Climate Change Bill into law while surrounded by enthusiastic senior government officials.

    He noted that Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, which the late Buhari signed into law, created the National Council on Climate Change and also provided the legal framework for Nigeria’s climate action goals, particularly strategies for sustainable economic development and the path to attaining net-zero by 2050-2070.

    Onuigbo maintained that but for Buhari’s determined and quick intervention in ensuring that Nigeria had a legislative framework for energy sustainability and transition through the signature Climate Change Act, the country would have continued to be an onlooker at successive United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)-organised Conference of Parties (COP).

    He said, “Thanks to Buhari, Nigeria did not attend COP 27 empty-handed. We went to the COP27 climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, with our heads held high as we participated actively in discussions leading to the agreement to establish a ‘loss and damage’ fund to assist developing countries in addressing the adverse effects of climate change.

    “This fund, officially named the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), aims to provide financial assistance to vulnerable nations grappling with climate-related impacts, including extreme weather events and slow-onset events.”

    The former lawmaker, who sponsored the Climate Change Bill, recalled that Buhari was moved by the far-reaching resolution of the COP 26 Summit that was held in Glasgow, Scotland, to immediately sign the Bill, which was passed by the 9th National Assembly.

    While remarking that Buhari would be sorely missed, Onuigbo praised the contributions of members of the 9th National Assembly, led by the Speaker, the current Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, to the making of the signature Climate Change Act.