Senator Seriake Dickson, former Governor of Bayelsa State, has lauded the late President Muhammadu Buhari for his political maturity and restraint from weaponizing the judiciary against the opposition during his time in office.
Buhari passed away at 82 in a London hospital on Sunday, July 13, 2025, following a prolonged illness.
In his honor, the National Assembly held separate, emotionally charged sessions on Wednesday, where lawmakers paid heartfelt tributes and urged President Bola Tinubu to immortalize him by naming a national monument after him.
Reflecting on his interactions with the late former military head of state in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, Dickson credited Buhari for his self-control, particularly during periods of intense political tension.
Read Also: How Buhari Rejected UAE’s Personal Jet Offer In 2016 – Garba Shehu
“Buhari didn’t discriminate between APC and PDP states; he did it for all. I spoke of how, in the 2015 general election, which, to my knowledge, remains the toughest governorship election in this country,” Dickson wrote.
“Buhari directed all security agencies and INEC to be fair. It was reassuring. He told me when he gave that directive, even though they didn’t comply on the ground, it was reassuring that the President understood the need for fairness and respect for the rights of the people.”
He stressed that even in 2020 when his tenure was up and his successor’s election was approaching, the late President allowed fairness to decide the game.
“In 2020, when my tenure was up and my successor’s election was imminent, President Buhari also called for fairness.
“Even when the elections were leaked and results were written and announced, with his advanced team already in Bayelsa less than 24 hours to handing over, President Buhari never called the judiciary of Nigeria to influence their decision. He allowed the law to take its course,” the ex-Bayelsa governor said.
Dickson recalled that following the court’s decision in favor of Governor Douye Diri, Buhari responded to the situation humorously, treating it lightly.
“Later, when he saw Governor Diri, he merely cracked a joke that myself and the governor had better control of the judiciary, and then, he laughed,” Dickson said.
The lawmaker stated that despite his significant disagreements with many of Buhari’s policies, the former president never showed hostility or targeted him or other opposition figures personally.
“I myself disagreed with Buhari’s politics and policies. I mobilised all South-South governors and led them to oppose the injustice meted out to Justice Onnoghen when he was sacked in the way and manner it was done. President Buhari never fought me for that or for the other governors’ involvement,” he said.
Dickson, who previously criticized and even led protests against the former President, nonetheless commended Buhari for his non-partisan handling of economic interventions.
He specifically praised the 2015 financial bailout, which helped states navigate a severe recession.
“Buhari did not discriminate between APC and PDP states. He did it for all. His government, working with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, devised various ways of generating bailouts that helped all the states in Nigeria. Without that intervention, most states would have gone under,” Dickson stated.
He further credited the late president with issuing clear directives to security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure impartiality during the fiercely contested 2015 Bayelsa governorship election.
The Senator concluded by extending his condolences to the Buhari family, the Government and people of Katsina State, the Daura Emirate, and President Bola Tinubu.
Join Informant Online WhatsApp Channel With Link Below: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaihFajBadmT29ufud2
