The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Thursday, disclosed what the late former President Muhammadu Buhari told him after he became Speaker of the 10th House.

In his tribute at a special expanded Federal Executive Council (FEC) session held in honour of the late President at the Presidential Villa, Speaker Tajudeen recalled that in 2011, he was first elected to represent Zaria Federal Constituency on the platform of the now-defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), a party founded by Buhari.

He said that after his fourth re-election and emergence as Speaker of the House on June 13, 2023, former President Buhari offered him a piece of advice.

Speaker Tajudeen said: “President Buhari was no ordinary figure in our national journey. He embodied quiet strength, moral clarity, and an unshakable sense of duty. At a time when society was seduced by materialism, he chose a life of modest means and meaningful service.

“He was devoted to family and steadfast in his Islamic faith. His humour and humility softened his disciplined exterior.

“Buhari’s belief in the brevity of life and the certainty of judgment shaped his ascetic lifestyle and guided his public conduct. He lived not for applause or affluence but for principle, for country, and for the cause of a better Nigeria.

“To me, he was more than a leader. He was a mentor, a moral compass, and a source of guidance. My political journey began in 2011 under the banner of the CPC, a party built on his credibility and character.

“A few years after my election, he honoured me by commissioning some of my constituency projects—making me the first member of the House of Representatives under the CPC to receive such recognition. I remember him in the blazing sun of Zaria, standing shoulder to shoulder with the people he so deeply loved. It was a quiet moment that spoke volumes.”

He added: “Years later, in 2023, during a brief meeting in the United Kingdom, he warmly welcomed me following my election as Speaker. His counsel was clear: lead as a servant, never as a master. Those words, simple yet profound, have remained my compass.”

The Speaker eulogised the late Buhari, saying he did not live for applause or influence but for principle and a better Nigeria.

He said the ceremony was held “in solemn reverence to honour the memory of a man whose life and legacy are deeply woven into the fabric of our republic.”

The Speaker noted that Buhari was being remembered in the same FEC chamber where he once presided “with purpose and principle,” describing him as “a sentinel of service, a steward of simplicity, and a statesman shaped by sacrifice.”

In public office, Tajudeen noted, Buhari was a true partner in democracy, who respected the independence of the legislature and encouraged his ministers to engage constructively with parliament.

The Speaker added that Buhari signed into law several landmark bills that expanded political participation for young people, strengthened electoral processes, and laid the foundation for economic reform.

While noting that the former president’s development vision extended beyond the present and into the future, Speaker Abbas said the roads, railways, and bridges he built remain lasting gifts to generations yet unborn.

He said: “His war against corruption was unrelenting. Known to millions as Mai Gaskiya, the honest one, he lived a life free from personal scandal. His simple lifestyle was not symbolic—it was sincere. His integrity set a standard that will long outlive him. Whether as a military officer, a state governor, a federal minister, or a democratically elected president, he brought to every office the same disciplined devotion to duty.

“He was not a man of many words, but his words carried weight. His dreams for Nigeria were vast, his commitment to its progress unshakable. He embodied the best in us as a people: our relentlessness, resilience, love of God, and charity to our neighbours.”

Speaker Abbas said that as Nigerians mark the end of Buhari’s earthly journey, they also mark “the close of a defining chapter in our nation’s story.”

He added: “But his example endures: integrity as the soul of leadership, simplicity in power, patriotism above self-interest, unity in diversity, and resilience in adversity. He gave Nigeria everything he had—from the youthful strength of a young soldier to the wisdom of an elder statesman. He never clung to power. He never sought personal reward. He served, and he stepped aside when his time was up.”

The Speaker urged Nigerians to honour Buhari’s life not only with words but with a renewed commitment to the values he cherished.

“Farewell, Baba Buhari. Nigeria salutes your service. And history, in its final judgement, will remember you kindly,” he said. (Nigerian Tribune)