The family of the late legal luminary and former presidential candidate of the Nigeria Advance Party (NAP) in the 1983 general elections, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, has expressed its condolences over the passing of Nigeria’s former President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Retd.), who died earlier this week at the age of 82.
In a statement issued on behalf of the family, Olumide Braithwaite—former spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 presidential campaign—extended “deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the family, loved ones, and the entire nation of Nigeria” as it mourns the loss of the former military ruler and two-term civilian president.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Olumide reflected on the respectful and cordial relationship between his late father and the late President Buhari, tracing their interactions back to Nigeria’s military era.
“My father stood firmly against military oppression and human rights abuses under successive juntas,” he recalled. “In 2005, General Buhari approached my father for political support. My father agreed—on one condition: that Buhari accompany him to church services to demonstrate religious tolerance. He kept that promise.”
While acknowledging that Buhari’s administration faced significant economic and security challenges and was not without controversy regarding civil liberties, the Braithwaite family also praised the former president for his unwavering stand against corruption, his personal integrity, and efforts to promote national unity.
“Our thoughts are with his wife, Her Excellency Aisha Buhari, their children, grandchildren, and the larger Buhari family, as they grieve this profound loss,” the statement concluded.