He recalled that Idagbon was on pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia when the administration was overthrown, but that instead of remaining in that country, he insisted on returning to Nigeria, adding: “this was despite the political uncertainty especially as he had learnt that he, as Commander-in-Chief at that time, had not been killed in the take-over.”
Buhari, who spoke today, Monday as he received the governorship aspirants and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the three senatorial zones of Kwara State at Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that the late Idiagbon turned down the offer from the King of Saudi Arabia to bring members of his (Idiagbon) family from Nigeria to the Kingdom, as he was his guest at that time, and eventually returned to Nigeria to suffer arrest like he (Buhari) did.
President Buhari therefore extolled the loyalty of his late deputy and asked Nigerians to remain faithful and loyal to the country in all their dealings.
“The late Major General Tunde Idiagbon was a very rare example of what loyalty to fatherland and to a superior should be. Tunde was strong, loyal and extremely committed to the cause of positively changing the narrative about Nigeria, which the administration set out to do at that time.
“You don’t have to be in uniform to be loyal. What I said long ago in 1984 is still valid today. We have no other country but Nigeria. Others who feel they have another country may choose to go. We will stay here and salvage it together.”
The President thanked the APC stakeholders for the position they have taken to continue to support the party regardless of the outcome of the primaries and assured them that, with the unity displayed so far, APC will form the government in Kwara State after the 2019 elections.
