In times of national mourning, restraint is not just decorum—it is a moral obligation.
The passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, a two-time democratic leader, military general, and towering figure in Nigeria’s political history, has cast a solemn veil over the nation. At such a moment, one would expect that even political adversaries would pause to honour the dead and allow the country space to grieve. Sadly, that was not the case.
Barely 24 hours after Buhari’s death and just a day following his Janazah in Daura, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar submitted his resignation from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)—a move that hit the headlines on Wednesday, July 16. The timing, intentional or not, speaks volumes. It was not only ill-advised but also deeply insensitive and devoid of statesmanship.
For a man of Atiku’s political pedigree—who shares not just regional roots but religious and cultural heritage with the late president—this action was nothing short of a breach of moral and political propriety. In Islam, the phrase “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un” is more than a ritual expression; it is a solemn invocation of humility and respect for the finality of life. In African tradition, especially in the North, elders are expected to embody dignity and deference in moments of grief. Atiku’s actions failed on both counts.
Rather than allowing a decent interval for national mourning, Atiku’s swift political maneuvering has cast a shadow over his motives. What might have been viewed as a moment of national unity now risks being interpreted as a cynical attempt to exploit a grieving nation for political gain.
One must ask: What urgency compelled such a decision, and why now? If indeed he returned to Nigeria to pay respects at Buhari’s burial, as was claimed, why taint that gesture with a politically explosive move almost immediately afterward?
This singular act of resignation, revealed to the public in the immediate aftermath of Buhari’s burial, now appears more like a calculated pivot than an act of conscience. It sends a troubling signal—not just about Atiku’s political strategy, but about the state of our political culture, where ambition often eclipses empathy, and where timing, no matter how inappropriate, is sacrificed on the altar of expediency.
True statesmanship demands more. It calls for sensitivity, for a sense of timing, and above all, for a commitment to something greater than one’s own political fortunes. At this critical juncture in our national life, what Nigerians need are leaders who can show restraint, humility, and solidarity—not opportunism dressed in ceremonial garb.
History, as always, is watching. It will remember who stood still to mourn, and who chose to move pieces on the political chessboard while the nation bowed its head in prayer. The difference between statesmanship and political self-interest has rarely been so stark.
Yusuf Galadima writes from Kano.
yusufg@gmail.com
