El-Rufai Urges Politicians to Stop Using Buhari’s Name for Political Gains, Calls for Respectful Rest

Following the publication of a book about former President Muhammadu Buhari’s life and tenure in office, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has called for an end to what he called the politicization of his legacy.

Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari is a book that has rekindled disagreements within his former inner circle and spurred new discussion regarding the late president’s record.

El-Rufai voiced alarm in a statement issued on Wednesday that the book launch event mirrored the same divisions that existed during Buhari’s lifetime. He pointed out that while other allies who were just as close to the late president were noticeably absent from the book event, one camp was heavily represented.

He warned that some of the people in attendance at the book presentation were longtime opponents of Buhari who now held prominent positions in the administration and gave flattering but phony praises.

El-Rufai argued that many who previously held his administration accountable for almost all of Nigeria’s problems now seem willing to change the past, possibly in order to avoid taking accountability for the country’s current shortcomings.

He continued by saying that some people who were honoring Buhari’s passing did not have his regard or trust.

The statement said, “A careful look at those who dominated the book launch revealed the same factional lines that existed during Buhari’s lifetime.” It also raised concerns about whether the former president’s legacy is being shaped to serve special interests rather than historical truth because of the venue and selective engagement.

The former governor expressed worry that many of the discoveries ascribed to the late president appear biased and unfair, especially since Buhari is no longer alive to react, even if he acknowledged that he has not yet read the book and that some media stories may lack context.

He cautioned that “explaining a complex leader’s thoughts and motivations through selective anecdotes risks distorting, rather than preserving, his legacy.”

El-Rufai went on to say that although Buhari was not flawless, a significant portion of his administration’s flaws resulted from the deeds and shortcomings of a strong inner circle, which included officials, advisers, and family members who did not always share the president’s dedication to honesty and public service.

“Those now invoking his name for self-justification should reflect on whether they can claim the same standards,” the statement continued. “Buhari himself remained, to the end, a man of deep faith, personal discipline, and unquestioned patriotism.”

El-Rufai, a former minister, advised Nigerians to let history evaluate Buhari impartially, free from opportunism and revisionism, and warned against selective narratives about his life and times.

He concluded with a prayer: “May Allah grant him eternal rest.” He said, “The truest way to honor him is not through selective storytelling, or attempting to exhibit new-found love, but by upholding the values he embodied: simplicity, integrity, humility, and service to Nigeria with all he had.”