Executive Chairman of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi), Ismael Ahmed, has stated that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari enjoyed overwhelming support from young Nigerians, many of whom admired his modest lifestyle and integrity.

Speaking during an interview, Ahmed said Buhari’s strongest support base came from individuals under the age of 35, even though most of them had not experienced his time as military Head of State.

“People who supported President Buhari since he joined politics were, interestingly, not those who knew him during his military rule. They were probably too young to understand what was happening at the time,” he explained.

Ahmed noted that younger Nigerians were drawn to Buhari because of his austere lifestyle and apparent detachment from the extravagant wealth often associated with public office holders.

He said, “Most of his support came from younger people who believed in him because they saw someone who had been in the corridors of power since 1966, yet did not amass the kind of wealth others with similar or even lesser access flaunt.”

According to Ahmed, Buhari’s lifestyle stood in stark contrast to that of the average Nigerian politician, which made him more appealing to the youth.

“I think that drew a lot of people to him, particularly his time as Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund from 1994 to 1998. That period gave the younger generation a glimpse of what he was capable of delivering.”

He added that Buhari only ventured into politics in 2002 after being persuaded by close associates, many of whom are now deceased.

“They were the ones who encouraged him to take the political route. From then on, he was convinced that it was the right path and remained committed to contributing to Nigeria’s development,” Ahmed stated.

He further described the late president as someone who was genuinely baffled by corruption.

“He just couldn’t understand it. He was often confused about why people would steal from public funds or engage in corrupt acts. It was something he found difficult to comprehend,” he concluded.