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ABUJA – Former President Mohammadu Buhari was committed to the rules-based international order and worked to deepen ties between Nigeria and the Economiv Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Uion, UN and the Commonwealth.
Buhari died at the age of 82 on Sunday, at a London hospital after a protracted illness.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, made this known in his condolence message over the passing of the former president, saying Nigeria has lost a dedicated patriot.
”Africa has lost a noble son. He was a statesman of uncommon integrity and a towering figure in our nation’s history.
“President Buhari served Nigeria with unwavering dedication, both in uniform and in civilian leadership.
“His legacy is marked by a lifelong commitment to discipline, national unity and the fight against corruption.
“His calm resolve in moments of turbulence and his steadfast belief in the promise of Nigeria will continue to inspire generations.
“At home and abroad, he was a symbol of Nigeria’s strength and dignity , a leader who carried the burdens of state with humility and a deep sense of duty,” Tuggar said.
The minister recounted when President Buhari spoke at his inauguration in 2015, he said: “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody” saying he was sending a signal not just to Nigerians, but also to the region, to Africa and the world.
This, according to him, Buhari was not for sale, Nigeria was not for sale, Africa was not for sale.
“He was a soldier by training and a patriot by instinct and a committed champion of democracy: he was instrumental in the peaceful resolution of Gambia’s electoral crisis in 2016, and an unprecedented transfer of power.
“He worked tirelessly to support regional efforts to roll back the scourge of violent extremism in the Sahel, just as in the 1980s he supported the liberation movements fighting for democracy in South Africa and Namibia.
“He had friends and allies in the four corners of the globe, but national interest always trumped sentiment: he bought fighter planes from the U.S. fertiliser from Russia and sealing the gas pipeline deal with Morocco,” he said.
He further expressed condolences to Buhari’s family, the Government and People of Nigeria, and all who mourn this irreparable loss.
“May Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest in Aljannatul Firdaus,” Tuggar prayed. (NAN)
