President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been encouraged by Dr. Aliyu Ibrahim, National Convener of the political organisation National Agenda for Tinubu 2027 (NAFT.27), to rename the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, in honour of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Dr. Ibrahim told reporters in Abuja on Friday that the act would be a national homage to Buhari’s legacy as the two-time Nigerian head of state, who he said embodied discipline and unity in public service. Buhari passed away at a London hospital on Sunday, July 13, 2025.
“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 president had already established a precedent earlier in the week by renaming the University of Maiduguri after Buhari, the political scientist and All Progressives Congress member continued. “That was a very admirable action. It would be complemented by the renaming of the airport, he said.
According to Dr. Ibrahim, Tinubu’s political backing enabled Buhari to make it through his political odyssey, which included three unsuccessful presidential attempts prior to his 2015 triumph. Buhari is a “transformed democrat.” According to him, national symbols should be used to honour the “lasting political bridge” that Buhari’s leadership has left behind.
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President Tinubu also openly discussed Buhari’s death during a Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday. The former president was “a man of integrity, discipline, and deep patriotism,” according to him.
“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.
Additionally, the president characterised Buhari as a person of moral constraint. He recalled their political collaboration that resulted in the People’s Democratic Party’s defeat in 2015 and remarked, “He resisted the temptations of power and popularity.”
Tinubu also praised Buhari’s humility after he left office in 2023, pointing out that the former president went back to his hometown of Daura without attempting to meddle in internal government issues. “His humility was exceptional and rare,” the president remarked.
He commended Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda and the Inter-Ministerial Committee for their prompt actions in setting up the state funeral within 48 hours of Buhari’s passing. Tinubu claims that the late leader received the respect he was due because of their swift action.
The proposal to rename Port Harcourt’s airport has not yet received an official response from the presidency.
