A Second Republic legislator Junaid Mohammed has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari’s tribute to the late ex-president Shehu Shagari who died on Friday aged 93.
In a statement by the president’s spokesperson Femi Adesina, Mr Buhari had described Shagari’s death as the departure of a patriot, whose life of service and humility was widely acknowledged.
Mr Mohammed however in an interview with The Punch stated that Shagari had gained respect by retiring and living a quiet lifestyle, unlike some in the current political class.
“Quite a number of the people who would claim to be his friends were actually his enemies and they contributed tremendously to bringing down that government and in making it impossible for us to have a meaningful democratic dispensation years after his departure from office,” Mohammed said.
When asked his thoughts on Buhari’s tribute, the elder statesman said, “It’s not sincere. If you’ve contributed so much in bringing down a government and bringing down a man who had nothing to gain, even though he had poor eyesight and was in poor health – he was in his late 60s then – you cannot say, from 1984 till now, you got along well. How did you get along well?
“No matter what you say about the Shagari administration, he knew how to retire from public service quietly, with a tremendous amount of nobility and self-respect. You have to give him that.
“In terms of retirement and living a quiet life and garnering more respect, Shagari is certainly one of Nigeria’s most outstanding leaders and I certainly believe the nation will continue to mourn him appropriately,” he added.
Mohammed said he was devastated by the news of Shagari’s demise, adding that the late former president believed in the goodness of human nature, even when human nature was not always good.
