Gladness Gideon
Former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Professor Ali Isa Pantami, has paid a moving tribute to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, revealing that he lived closely with him for 25 years—an experience that affirmed the late leader’s widely acknowledged integrity.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday shortly after arriving at Buhari’s residence in Daura, Katsina State, Pantami described the late president as a paragon of honesty, discipline, and patriotism.
“Muhammadu Buhari’s name is synonymous with integrity,” Pantami stated.
“One may argue if you don’t know him, but for those of us who interacted with him for several years, there is no doubt. I lived with him for 25 years, and Almighty is my witness, I have never doubted that integrity through my interactions with him.”
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He further highlighted Buhari’s defining personal and leadership traits: “Part of his legacy that I always remember is his patriotism, discipline, and critical thinking.”
Pantami joined other dignitaries, including Vice President Kashim Shettima and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, in receiving Buhari’s remains, which arrived from London aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft on Tuesday. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to attend the state burial in Daura.
Buhari died in a London hospital on Sunday at the age of 82. He served as Nigeria’s Head of State from 1983 to 1985 and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023. His passing has prompted a wave of national mourning and tributes, with many reflecting on his enduring influence on Nigeria’s political landscape.