Onuigbo mourns Buhari, hails His legacy on climate action, national pride

Rep. Sir Sam Ifeanyi Onuigbo, a member of the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), has paid glowing tribute to late former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his passing as a huge national loss.

Onuigbo, a two-term federal lawmaker, particularly commended Buhari for his commitment to climate action, recalling how the ex-president’s intervention secured Nigeria a vital place on the international stage.

He recounted the difficult journey of the Climate Change Bill, which faced repeated rejections in the 6th, 7th, and 8th National Assemblies, until Buhari eventually signed it into law on November 17, 2021, during the 9th Assembly.

“By that singular act and his focus on proactive legislation, the former President made Nigeria stand tall in the comity of nations. His death has robbed the country of a rich source of international pride,” Onuigbo said.

The NEDC board member praised Buhari for insisting on excellence and ensuring Nigeria was not left behind on the global stage.

He noted that Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, signed by Buhari, established the National Council on Climate Change and provided the legal foundation for the country’s climate response and energy transition goals towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050-2070.

Onuigbo highlighted that without Buhari’s decisive move, Nigeria would have remained an observer at crucial climate conferences like the UNFCCC-organised Conference of Parties (COP).

He explained that it was Buhari’s swift endorsement of the Climate Change Bill that enabled Nigeria to attend COP27 in Egypt with confidence, contributing to landmark discussions that led to the creation of the “Loss and Damage” Fund for climate-vulnerable nations.

He recalled Buhari’s motivation from the resolutions of the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, which spurred the ex-president to immediately act on the bill passed by the 9th National Assembly.

While mourning Buhari’s death, Onuigbo also praised the role of the 9th Assembly, led by then Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, now Chief of Staff to the President, and former Senate President Dr. Ahmad Lawan, in actualising the historic legislation.