Inside Aso Rock: How Buhari Rejected 10% Kickback And Returned A Diamond Watch – Garba Shehu Speaks in New Memoir

In a rare and candid insight into the inner workings of Nigeria’s highest office, Malam Garba Shehu, former Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has lifted the veil on several moments that defined the integrity-driven leadership of the former president.

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The revelations are captured in Shehu’s newly released memoir, “According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience,” launched Thursday in Abuja. The book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the corridors of power during Buhari’s eight-year tenure, with a focus on values, governance, and presidential ethics.

In one of the most striking anecdotes, Shehu recounts a high-stakes meeting that took place at the Presidential Villa between President Buhari and the Board of Directors of a well-established construction conglomerate. The unnamed company, reputed for its vast portfolio of government infrastructure contracts—ranging from highways and railways to bridges and facilities management—had long been part of the country’s elite contractor class.

According to Shehu, the delegation visited the President with what appeared to be a routine briefing or courtesy call. But Buhari used the opportunity to deliver a message that would redefine their business model under his administration.

“We have been informed that percentage cuts—10 per cent or more—are built into your contracts, to be shared among government leaders and civil servants. This must stop. We will not accept kickbacks,” Buhari declared, in a tone described by Shehu as “firm, unsparing, and morally charged.”

The former President went further, accusing the company of maintaining a covert pipeline of benefits for government elites, often hidden under the guise of corporate goodwill.

“You build homes for government leaders, buy them expensive cars, and maintain those vehicles. When they, or close relations, fall ill, you foot the bill, fly them abroad in air ambulances, and arrange for the best hospitals. But our finding is that nothing you give is ever free. All these costs are padded into your government contracts,” Buhari said.

Though Buhari acknowledged the company’s track record of quality delivery—praising their work on major projects across Abuja and specifically mentioning the construction of the State House (Aso Rock Villa)—he made it clear that future engagements would be held to a higher ethical standard.

“We will continue to patronise your services because your work speaks for itself. But the high costs will be checked. From now on, the added costs and all this padding must end. If we ask for quotations, tell us the actual cost that the project entails. No 10 per cent. No added costs,” he warned.

In another symbolic moment detailed in the memoir, Shehu recounts an incident involving a Nigerian-American business magnate in the global luxury watch and jewellery industry. The unnamed businessman had presented President Buhari with an expensive diamond-encrusted wristwatch—a token of goodwill and patriotism, according to the giver.

But instead of basking in the glimmer of the precious timepiece, Buhari responded with humility and principle. He praised the success of the brand on the international stage and encouraged the entrepreneur to “keep the Nigerian flag flying,” yet he firmly declined to keep the gift.

“He directed that the gift be politely returned,” Shehu writes. “I dutifully did so.”

The episode, though private, reveals the former president’s aversion to opulence and his consistent rejection of material offerings that could compromise his values or be interpreted as inducements.

These moments, Shehu suggests, were not isolated performances but rather consistent patterns in Buhari’s conduct. Throughout his presidency (2015–2023), Buhari portrayed himself as a man on a mission to clean up the endemic corruption that has long plagued Nigeria’s political system.

Though critics often accused his government of selective anti-corruption prosecution and soft-pedaling on allies, these personal stories—previously unknown to the public—paint a more nuanced picture of a leader who, at least personally, tried to resist the trappings of power and privilege.

Buhari’s minimalist lifestyle, his frugality, and his oft-cited disdain for flamboyance were not just public posturing, Shehu insists. They were authentic to his character—an austere former military ruler turned democratically elected president who saw integrity as a leadership duty, not a campaign slogan.

The publication of Shehu’s memoir has stirred conversation in political and civil society circles. Analysts say it arrives at a time when public trust in political leaders remains fragile, and stories of ethical governance are increasingly rare.

Dr. Hadiza Malami, a political scientist at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said the revelations, if accurate, contribute positively to Buhari’s legacy.

“We always hear about corruption and impunity. So it is refreshing—if not even essential—for Nigerians to hear of leaders rejecting bribes, gifts, or unethical concessions. It’s not everything, but it sets a tone,” she said.

Others argue that individual integrity is only part of the equation and that systemic reforms are needed to institutionalise such standards beyond a single presidency.

Garba Shehu’s “According to the President” is more than a tell-all; it is a political memoir rooted in storytelling. It offers the Nigerian public a rare window into the ethos and culture of the Buhari presidency—complete with its triumphs, contradictions, and lingering questions.

While it may not settle every debate about Buhari’s policies or legacy, it adds texture to the historical record and preserves moments of personal principle that often go unseen behind the curtain of executive power.

As Nigeria’s political elite continues to evolve, such accounts remind citizens and future leaders alike that even in a flawed system, ethical leadership is possible—and sometimes, it starts with just saying no.