‘He Meant Well for Nigeria’, Akpabio Mourns Buhari

 Senate President Godswill Akpabio delivered an impassioned eulogy for former President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, July 14, 2025, during a special session of the Nigerian Senate, asserting that “he meant well for Nigeria” despite the myriad challenges that defined his eight-year tenure. 

The 62-year-old Akpabio, a prominent figure in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and a close political ally, reflected on his personal interactions with Buhari, recalling meetings where the late leader expressed a deep commitment to national unity, security, and economic stability. 

Akpabio highlighted key initiatives like the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, which aimed to reduce Nigeria’s food import bill by 20%, and the controversial Naira redesign policy of 2023, intended to curb money laundering, as evidence of Buhari’s good intentions.

The tribute, delivered to a packed chamber with senators from across party lines, came as the nation entered a seven-day mourning period declared by President Bola Tinubu following Buhari’s death on July 13 in a London clinic. Akpabio acknowledged the criticisms, such as the economic recession of 2016, a 23% unemployment rate by 2023 per National Bureau of Statistics, and persistent Boko Haram attacks, yet framed them as part of a broader struggle that Buhari faced with resilience.