Buhari’s death has left huge vacuum – Onuigbo

Rep. Sir Sam Ifeanyi Onuigbo, Member representing the South-East on the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), has mourned the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his death as a significant loss that has left a huge vacuum in Nigeria’s leadership landscape.

Onuigbo, a former two-term federal lawmaker, reflected on his personal and legislative interactions with the late President, particularly recalling the long and challenging journey of the Climate Change Bill — a key legislative effort that faced multiple setbacks across several assemblies.

He noted that the bill, initially declined during the 6th and 7th National Assemblies, was also rejected by President Buhari during the 8th Assembly, before finally receiving his assent on November 17, 2021, during the 9th Assembly. That historic signing gave birth to the Climate Change Act, now considered a cornerstone of Nigeria’s environmental policy framework.

“By that singular act and focus on proactive legislation, the former President made Nigeria to stand tall in the international community. His death has robbed the country of a rich source of international pride. Late President Buhari won respect for Nigeria through his insistence on excellence,” Onuigbo stated.

The former lawmaker, who is currently chairman of Security, Climate Change and Special Interventions Committee of the NEDC, said that Buhari made him feel a sense of national pride when he signed the legacy Climate Change Bill into law while surrounded by enthusiastic senior government officials.

He noted that Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, which President Buhari signed into law, created the National Council on Climate Change and also provided the legal framework for Nigeria’s climate action goals, particularly strategies for sustainable economic development and the path to attaining net-zero by 2050-2070.

Onuigbo maintained that but for Buhari’s determined and quick intervention in ensuring that Nigeria had a legislative framework for energy sustainability and transition through the signature Climate Change Act, the country would have continued to be an onlooker at successive United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)-organised Conference of Parties (COP).

He stated: “Thanks to Buhari, Nigeria did not attend COP 27 empty handed. We went to COP27 climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, with head held high as we participated actively in discussions leading to the agreement to establish a “loss and damage” fund to assist developing countries in addressing the adverse effects of climate change.

“This fund, officially named the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), aims to provide financial assistance to vulnerable nations grappling with climate-related impacts, including extreme weather events and slow-onset events.”

The former lawmaker, who sponsored the Climate Change Bill, recalled that Buhari was moved by the far reaching resolution of COP 26 Summit that held in Glassgow, Scotland, to immediately sign the Bill, which was passed by the 9th National Assembly.

While remarking that Buhari would be sorely missed, Rep Onuigbo, praised the contributions of members of the 9th National Assembly led by the Speaker, the current Chief of Staff to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, to the making of the signature Climate Change Act.