By Gideon Maxwell
July 24, 2025
Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s life in public service proved that it is indeed possible to serve Nigeria with integrity, honesty, and respect for democratic values.
Osinbajo stated this while speaking at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), held at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
He paid glowing tribute to Buhari’s legacy, describing him as a man who, despite many political setbacks, remained committed to due process and the rule of law.
“In his many years in public service, he proved that you can serve this nation with honesty, transparency and integrity,” Osinbajo said. “He also showed that it is possible to believe in this country and be a believer in democracy, even if the process does not initially favour you.”
The former vice president recalled how Buhari contested presidential elections in 2003, 2007, and 2011, losing all three before finally clinching victory in 2015 through the ballot.
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Rather than resorting to undemocratic means, Osinbajo said Buhari consistently challenged his defeats in court, upholding democratic principles even in disappointment.
“He is perhaps the best example of a man who, having run for the highest office in the land and lost three times, submitted himself to the legal process each time,” Osinbajo noted.
“Eventually, he won the fourth time through the same democratic system. This is a profound statement about his character and belief in the system.”
He further described Buhari as a “converted democrat,” noting that although he once ruled Nigeria as a military head of state, he fully embraced democratic ideals in his later years.
Osinbajo’s remarks come amid ongoing debates within the APC about the direction of the party and the values it seeks to promote.
His words were widely seen as a call to uphold integrity and democratic values, especially as the party and nation grapple with complex governance challenges.
Other party leaders and officials at the NEC meeting echoed Osinbajo’s sentiments.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), in a separate statement earlier, described Buhari as a leader who served Nigeria with “unblemished integrity” and a strong moral compass.
“President Buhari walked the talk. He lived a life of personal discipline, financial modesty, and clear ethical boundaries,” Keyamo said.
Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2015 to 2023, did not attend the meeting, but his legacy was a central theme in the discussions among party elders and stakeholders.
As the APC continues to reposition itself amid national criticisms and internal divisions, Osinbajo’s tribute served as both a reminder and a challenge, to build on a legacy of public service defined not just by power, but by principles.
