Buhari had the wrong people in the right places and didn't change them for 8 years over fear of being called a dictator - Aisha Buhari

 Aisha Buhari, widow of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that her husband retained many of his appointees during his time in office out of concern that he would be labelled a dictator.

 

She made the disclosure in a book titled “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari”, which was presented at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, December 16. The book, written by Dr Charles Omole, documents Buhari’s life story, his years in the military, and his transition into democratic politics.

 

In her account, Aisha Buhari recalled that shortly after her husband assumed office, noticeable changes occurred within the Presidential Villa. She said individuals who stood by Buhari throughout his long period in opposition gradually disappeared from the corridors of power, noting that “familiar faces are ‘locked out,’ their names allegedly logged by security agents and reported elsewhere.”

 

She explained that after privately raising her concerns without seeing any improvement, she decided to speak out publicly. Describing the situation, she wrote of “campaign stalwarts on the outside; technocrats and loyalists of others on the inside; a growing gap between the promise of a movement and the reality of a government.” Reflecting on the political dynamics at the time, she added, “They had money; they had people; but they did not have the power to install a president. They reduced Nigeria to a sitting-room meeting.”

 

Aisha Buhari further lamented that some individuals around her husband were more interested in personal gain than service. She said, “Some followed him (Buhari) to obtain material things (money, access, contracts) and could not distinguish between ‘power’ (purpose, responsibility) and the rewards that proximity provides.”

 

According to her, these dynamics had visible consequences within the presidency, including shifting schedules, exclusion of allies, rumours of forged signatures, and an atmosphere of distrust. She noted that Buhari’s reluctance to be perceived as authoritarian prevented him from removing underperforming officials, stating that “a president who feared being called a dictator hesitated to dismiss men who disappointed him.”

 

Summing up her assessment of his administration, she concluded, “He had the wrong people in the right places. He didn’t change them for eight years.”