The Federal Executive Council (FEC) held a special session on July 17, 2025, to honor former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on July 13, 2025, at age 82.
Presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, the expanded meeting included cabinet ministers, governors, and National Assembly leaders, featuring tributes that highlighted Buhari’s 2015-2023 tenure. Tinubu led the session with a poignant address, renaming the University of Maiduguri after Buhari as a lasting memorial, reflecting his northeast stabilization efforts.
Emotional moments included Buhari’s son Yusuf breaking down during a vote of thanks, acknowledging the state funeral’s support. Speakers like Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate praised Buhari’s integrity and anti-corruption stance, though his economic record, marked by a 63% poverty rate per World Bank, drew mixed reviews.
The session, concluding with prayers, underscored national mourning, with plans for additional commemorations, though some critics see it as politically motivated amid Tinubu’s 2027 ambitions.