Tinubu renames University of Maiduguri after Buhari

Tinubu with Buhari’s children at the special FEC

By JAMIU JAMODU

President Bola Tinubu, in Abuja on Thursday, led his cabinet ministers, the Secretary to the Government, two state governors, and the Head of Service in a solemn tribute to the late President Muhammadu Buhari.

The ceremony at a special session of the Federal Executive Council honoured the eighth Nigerian leader—a civil war hero, a former military head of state, and an anti-corruption advocate —who passed away on July 13, leaving a legacy of discipline and patriotism.

President Tinubu, who opened the floodgates of tributes in the presence of the departed leader’s children, renamed the 50-year-old University of Maiduguri Muhammadu Buhari University.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Senator Abubakar Bagudu, in his tribute, revealed a letter sent to the APC Governors Forum by former President Buhari in the aftermath of the APC Presidential Primaries, won by President Tinubu.

In the June 9, 2022, letter, President Buhari rallied the APC governors to ensure Tinubu’s victory, contrary to some notions that Buhari was indifferent to Tinubu’s presidential campaign.

“Our candidate, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is no stranger to you. He is our friend and brother”, President Buhari wrote. “We know his commitment, his track record and his capacity to lead our party to success. So now is the time for all of us to come together and march forward, as we did in 2025, to a convincing APC victory.

“I look forward to working closely with APC Governors to support Senator Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all our APC candidates to success in 2023”, Buhari added.