Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Wednesday paid a condolence visit to the family of late former President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State.
The high-profile visit follows the death of the former Nigerian leader, who passed away on Sunday at an exclusive private hospital in London, United Kingdom. Buhari, 81, was buried in his hometown of Daura on Tuesday, in accordance with Islamic rites.
The trio of Atiku, Obi, and El-Rufai, representing different political divides, came together in a rare show of unity to honour the late statesman’s legacy and sympathize with his bereaved family.
Buhari, a retired general and elder statesman, served as Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1983 to 1985 and later as a democratically elected President from 2015 to 2023.
During his presidency, he spent a cumulative 225 days on medical trips abroad, with his longest absence recorded in 2017 when he stayed in London for 104 consecutive days. The nature of his illness was never officially disclosed. Before his death, Buhari had spent about two weeks at the London facility where he eventually passed on.
His passing has drawn tributes from across Nigeria and beyond, with many recognizing his influence on the nation’s political and security landscape.
The condolence visit by prominent figures such as Atiku, Obi, and El-Rufai underscores the national significance of Buhari’s legacy in Nigerian history.
