Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has appealed to Nigerians to let President Muhammadu Buhari rest in peace, saying his legacy is being hijacked by critics and sycophants.
In a statement on Monday, El-Rufai expressed disappointment with the recent book launch on Buhari’s life and legacy, saying it was marred by factionalism and selective storytelling.
“I felt compelled to make a simple but urgent appeal: let us allow President Buhari to rest in peace,” El-Rufai said.
He lamented the presence of long-time critics of Buhari at the event, delivering “glowing, but clearly faked tributes”, and questioned the sincerity of individuals celebrating Buhari in death who had neither his trust nor respect in life.
“These are individuals who once blamed his administration for nearly every challenge facing Nigeria, but who now appear eager to revise history, perhaps to deflect responsibility for present failures,” El-Rufai said.
El-Rufai urged Nigerians to allow history to judge Buhari fairly, without opportunism or revisionism, and to uphold the values he embodied: simplicity, integrity, humility, and service to Nigeria.
“The truest way to honour him is not through selective storytelling, or attempting to exhibit new-found love, but by upholding the values he embodied,” he said.
El-Rufai described Buhari as a man of deep faith, personal discipline, and unquestioned patriotism, but also acknowledged that he was far from perfect.
He attributed many of Buhari’s shortcomings to the actions and failures of his inner circle, saying they did not always share his commitment to integrity and public service.
