“Too Big to Fill”: Buhari’s Legacy Not Transferable, Says APC Veteran

A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has openly declared that no current political figure possesses the credibility or moral standing to inherit the famed 12 million-vote base associated with the late former President Muhammadu Buhari. According to IReporter Online, Okechukwu made this bold assertion during a church service held in Abuja to honour the legacy of the late leader.

Reflecting on Buhari’s widespread appeal in the North, Okechukwu emphasized that the former president’s popularity stemmed not from political propaganda but from a lifetime marked by integrity, honesty, and service. He described Buhari as a man whose transparency and moral compass earned him the revered title “Mai Gaskiya”—meaning “Honest Man”—and that these traits are virtually nonexistent among the politicians now seeking to assume his mantle.

According to IReporter Online, Okechukwu stated that none of Buhari’s self-proclaimed political heirs had shown the courage to fight corruption or the discipline to resist vote-buying, both of which Buhari stood firmly against. He argued that the current aspirants have no record of embodying the principles that defined Buhari’s career, particularly during his decades in public office—ranging from his early days as a military governor to his tenure as civilian president.

He went further to criticize politicians, especially from rival parties such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who he accused of attempting to exploit Buhari’s northern support base to serve their own ambitions. Okechukwu dismissed such attempts as misguided, stating that the northern electorate is far too sophisticated and principled to be swayed by mere ethnic symbolism. He referenced how the North rallied behind Chief MKO Abiola in 1993 and gave President Tinubu more votes in 2023 than the South did, underscoring their commitment to justice and merit over tribal politics.

Okechukwu warned that attempts to weaponize Buhari’s legacy or manipulate regional sentiments could endanger the fragile balance of Nigeria’s democratic power-sharing agreement. He criticized what he described as a failed attempt by some political players to coerce members of Buhari’s defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) into joining the ADC, crediting former governors Tanko Al-Makura and Aminu Masari for resisting such moves.

In his concluding remarks, Okechukwu called on all political actors to respect the existing convention of presidential power rotation, which he identified as a crucial pillar of national unity and a safeguard of the Fourth Republic. He cautioned that those seeking to disrupt this balance for personal gain lack both the pedigree and the ideological clarity required to lead, insisting that Buhari’s unique character and legacy remain unmatched.