Dr. Aliyu Ibrahim, National Convener of the political group National Agenda for Tinubu 2027 (NAFT.27), has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rename the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, after the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Friday, Dr. Ibrahim said such a gesture would serve as a national tribute to Buhari’s legacy as a two-time Nigerian Head of State who, according to him, represented unity and discipline in public service. Buhari died on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at a London hospital.

“This honour,” Ibrahim stated, “will not only immortalise his name but also deepen the bond of unity between North and South. Naming the airport after him reinforces the message of shared national identity and respect across regional lines.”

The political scientist and member of the All Progressives Congress added that the president had already set a precedent earlier in the week by renaming the University of Maiduguri after Buhari. “That was a commendable step. The airport renaming would complement it,” he said.

Dr. Ibrahim described Buhari as a “transformed democrat” whose political journey—marked by three failed presidential bids before his 2015 victory—was made possible, in his view, by Tinubu’s political support. He said Buhari’s leadership had left a “lasting political bridge” that should be commemorated through national symbols.

At a Federal Executive Council session held on Wednesday, President Tinubu also reflected publicly on Buhari’s passing. He described the former president as “a man of integrity, discipline, and deep patriotism.”

“President Buhari was not a perfect man. No leader is perfect. But he was, in every sense of the word, a good man, a decent man, an honourable man,” Tinubu said at the ceremony, which was held at the State House in Abuja.

The president further described Buhari as a figure of moral restraint. “He resisted the temptations of power and popularity,” he said, recalling their political partnership that led to the defeat of the People’s Democratic Party in 2015.

Tinubu also acknowledged Buhari’s modesty after leaving office in 2023, noting that the former president returned to his hometown of Daura without seeking to influence government affairs behind the scenes. “His humility was uncommon and exemplary,” the president said.

He praised the rapid efforts of the Inter-Ministerial Committee and Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda in organising the state burial within 48 hours of Buhari’s death. According to Tinubu, their prompt action gave the late leader the dignity he deserved.

In a tribute that closed his remarks, Tinubu recalled the emotional weight of Buhari’s political journey and retirement. “Mai Gaskiya, the People’s General, the Farmer President—your duty is done,” he said. “May the Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljannah Firdaus. Nigeria will remember him.”

The proposal to rename Port Harcourt’s airport has not yet received an official response from the presidency. (The Guardian)