By Ogochukwu Isioma
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu paid a solidarity visit to the Kaduna residence of Nigeria’s late President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, assuring the Buhari family of upholding the late leader’s legacies.
President Tinubu was received by Buhari’s widow, Aisha, her eldest son, Yusuf, and other relatives and associates of the deceased leader.
President Tinubu said the family is not alone in grief.
”We are just here to assure you that we share in your grief, we share in your pain.
”A loss in flesh is not a loss in the spirit, and the spirit that he left with us is a spirit of hard work, dedication, patriotism and honesty, and we are doing that.
”We assure you and the entire family that we will continue with our leader’s legacy, the mark he made for Nigeria. We will continue on the path of honesty, integrity, and great character that he imbued in us.
”May God help Nigeria, keep us united and together in the promised land,” the President said.
In an emotional voice, Aisha Buhari thanked the President and his government for supporting the family in their grief.
She said the visit by the President and his delegation was a source of consolation.
“I would like to use this medium to thank you once again, the first lady, the wife of the Vice President, for standing by me and my family”, she said.
Aisha said her late husband stood for honesty, integrity and justice, urging Nigerians to emulate his virtues.
”I would like to pray for Nigeria, for peace to reign, for unity of the country, and for you, President Tinubu, to carry on with my late husband’s legacy of honesty, integrity, tolerance, accountability, and justice.”
The President was accompanied to the residence by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
The governors of Kwara, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq; Yobe, Mai Mala Buni; Borno, Babagana Zulum; and Sokoto, Ahmed Aliyu, were part of the presidential entourage.
The president was also accompanied by Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance; Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Planning; Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence; and Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser.
Earlier, President Tinubu graced the wedding of Nasirudeen Abdulaziz Yari, son of Senator Abdulaziz Yari, who represents Zamfara West. Nasirudeen tied the knot with Safiyya Shehu Idris at the historic Sultan Bello Mosque in the Kaduna metropolis.
President Tinubu, accompanied by senior government officials, received the groom’s hand-in-marriage on behalf of the Yari family after the bride’s representative, Ibrahim Ashiru, confirmed the payment of the N1 million dowry.
The President commended both families for upholding noble traditions and encouraged the young couple to build their home on faith, love, and mutual respect.
The colourful occasion, which drew dignitaries from across the country, including traditional rulers, business leaders and politicians, was marked by prayers for the President and the nation by renowned cleric Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau and the officiating Chief Imam of the mosque, Dr Muhammad Suleiman.
