₦airaland Forum

Former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has revealed why her late husband, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, rarely sacked underperforming aides, and later pleaded on behalf of some allies facing probes.

Her account appeared in a new 600-page biography titled ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari’, authored by Dr. Charles Omole and unveiled at the State House, Abuja, on Monday.

“When asked to step aside for investigations, Buhari pleaded with the new government on behalf of his kinsmen, seeking to shield them from inquiry because he still depended on them for many personal matters,” read the 22-chapter book chronicling his early life in Daura, Katsina state, until his final hours in a London hospital in mid-July 2025.

Omole wrote that “This analysis by Aisha provides an additional angle on the children’s explanation for why Buhari was always reluctant to sack people. The family all agreed this was a fault in the Buhari government, but it is mitigated by the realism of the cabal’s manipulation of his emotions.”

Since 2023, several senior officials from the Buhari era have faced scrutiny from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Former Accountant-General Ahmed Idris is being tried over an alleged N109bn fraud scheme to which he pleaded not guilty. Former Power Minister Saleh Mamman was arrested over an alleged diversion of about N22bn tied to Zungeru/Mambilla projects.

Ex-Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika has been arraigned on contract-fraud counts linked to Nigeria Air and other deals, with charge sheets citing figures around N2.7bn in one case.

Former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq has been questioned in a probe into N37.1bn in social-intervention spending; the ex-NSIPA DG, Halima Shehu, also faces a separate investigation over N44bn.

More recently, ex-Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has also drawn scrutiny principally for his role in efforts to process contentious Paris-Club consultant claims totalling about $418m. Malami has denied wrongdoing and says his actions were lawful.

Aisha Buhari says her late husband protected individuals who should have faced scrutiny.

Although she did not name them, she sketched “their closeness, their greed, their immunity,” the book noted.

When questions began to rise in the corridors of power after he left office, she was urged to return to Daura so that prosecutions could proceed. She refused, saying she had no interest in confronting those she describes as “illiterate in her maturity.”

A few weeks later, she learned he had gone silent in the household for three days and was barely eating.

When some allies were asked to step aside for investigation, Buhari “pleaded with the new government on behalf of his kinsmen,” Omole writes, because he still depended on them for many personal matters.

The book read, “When questions about those years started emerging in the corridors of power, someone urged her to return to Daura to stay with him. ‘If you are there, they can prosecute the people,’ the warning went.

She declined, stating she had no interest in confronting those she describes as illiterate in her maturity. However, the story didn’t conclude with her refusal.

A few weeks later, she learned he had not spoken to the household for three days and had been eating hardly anything.

“Later still, she found out that when asked to step aside for investigations, Buhari pleaded with the new government on behalf of his kinsmen, seeking to shield them from inquiry because he still depended on them for many personal matters. Conscience is an ancient hunter.

“In the months before his death, she says he became more reserved, mostly replying with yes or no and avoiding eye contact. ‘All that I told him had come to pass,’ she remarks calmly. Shame, duty, and love, all the unpredictable forces of a shared life, dominated his final days, a man who had always prided himself on integrity.”

The ex-First Lady’s account revives a long-running debate from Buhari’s tenure, especially his hesitance about dismissals even amid public outcry.

This was evident even as his tenure produced the longest-serving set of service chiefs from July 2015 until January 2021.

LagosOrigin:
Buhari shielded corruption probably because he largely benefited from it .

Sonnobax15:

But EFCC has been on the neck of thief Emefiele since Buhari left office.

Buhari pleaded with the new government on behalf of his kinsmen, seeking to shield them from inquiry because he still depended on them for many personal matters.

SisterAnn:
No wonder buhari wanted to marry a second wife.

I still wonder why he didn't pull through with that.

Aisha buhari is a terrible person!

Imagine descrating the memory of her late husband with so much reckless abandon! I mean who does that?

Ontop wetin nah?

She's just short of affirming that he was truly jubril El Sudan!

Putindbutt:
It explains why the faction of CPC led by Malami & Babachir lawal suddenly resurrected and formed alliance with the coalition, thinking they have inherited Buhari's 12 million votes. Clowns 🤡🤡

AMINDA:
Now I believe Faruk Kperogi's submission that Aisha and Buhari were separated at the time of his death. She has been recruited by the Lagos cabal to slander her husband even in death. Disgraceful. Buhari will never shield any of his appointee from probe. The likes of Hadi Sirika were being probed even before Buhari’s passing. Assuming but not conceding that this was true, does it mean Tinubu has gone against Buhari’s "last wish?". Recruiting Omole, a known critic of Buhari to write about the man speaks volumes. It's no surprise that true Buharists all boycotted the book review but Tinubu was in attendance.

AMINDA:
Now I believe Faruk Kperogi's submission that Aisha and Buhari were separated at the time of his death. She has been recruited by the Lagos cabal to slander her husband even in death. Disgraceful. Buhari will never shield any of his appointee from probe. The likes of Hadi Sirika were being probed even before Buhari’s passing. Assuming but not conceding that this was true, does it mean Tinubu has gone against Buhari’s "last wish?". Recruiting Omole, a known critic of Buhari to write about the man speaks volumes. It's no surprise that true Buharists all boycotted the book review but Tinubu was in attendance.

AMINDA:
Now I believe Faruk Kperogi's submission that Aisha and Buhari were separated at the time of his death. She has been recruited by the Lagos cabal to slander her husband even in death. Disgraceful. Buhari will never shield any of his appointee from probe. The likes of Hadi Sirika were being probed even before Buhari’s passing. Assuming but not conceding that this was true, does it mean Tinubu has gone against Buhari’s "last wish?". Recruiting Omole, a known critic of Buhari to write about the man speaks volumes. It's no surprise that true Buharists all boycotted the book review but Tinubu was in attendance.

AMINDA:
Now I believe Faruk Kperogi's submission that Aisha and Buhari were separated at the time of his death. She has been recruited by the Lagos cabal to slander her husband even in death. Disgraceful. Buhari will never shield any of his appointee from probe. The likes of Hadi Sirika were being probed even before Buhari’s passing. Assuming but not conceding that this was true, does it mean Tinubu has gone against Buhari’s "last wish?". Recruiting Omole, a known critic of Buhari to write about the man speaks volumes. It's no surprise that true Buharists all boycotted the book review but Tinubu was in attendance.

seunmsg:
Trying to spin the truth because it did not favour you? What exactly is new in all the revelations in the book? Who is aware of the monumental corruption that took place under Buhari? Who is not aware of Malami’s corruption? Who is not aware of

AMINDA:
Now I believe Faruk Kperogi's submission that Aisha and Buhari were separated at the time of his death. She has been recruited by the Lagos cabal to slander her husband even in death. Disgraceful. Buhari will never shield any of his appointee from probe. The likes of Hadi Sirika were being probed even before Buhari’s passing. Assuming but not conceding that this was true, does it mean Tinubu has gone against Buhari’s "last wish?". Recruiting Omole, a known critic of Buhari to write about the man speaks volumes. It's no surprise that true Buharists all boycotted the book review but Tinubu was in attendance.

Christmyhope:
You are still peddling narrative that farouk kperogi pleaded for forgiveness from Aisha Buhari saying it was ill-judged by him.

AMINDA:
If it were true that Buhari pleaded with Tinubu not to persecute his ministers, why did Tinubu began prosecuting Hadi Sirika who is from the President’s homestate while Buhari was still alive? Why is Ngige, the minister of Labour being prosecuted but Keyamo, his co-minister continues to be a minister under Tinubu? Buhari will never shield even Yusuf, his own son from prosecution and he will never beg of that from Tinubu. Did Buhari also beg Tinubu to stop prosecuting Yahaya Bello and Ifeanyi Okowa who have bent the knee?

You speak of monumental corruption under Buhari but Tinubu has surpassed all loans taken by Buhari while still failing to fund the 2025 budget, with no projects to show beyond saying governors got record revenues. Did he borrow to hand over the monies to the governors? Buhari executed visible projects with his own loans and still managed to pay subsidies.

ALTERNATEID:
Can you provide the evidence that Tinubu has suspended the investigation and prosecution of Yahaya Bello and Ifeanyi Okowa?

AMINDA:
Ngige and Malami are in custody while Ifeanyi Okowa has been appointed as the renewed hope ambassador for the Southsouth. Yahaya Bello was last seen in Osun state just days ago campaigning for the APC candidate. What further evidence do you require that will stop you from continuing to borrow your head in the sand?

ALTERNATEID:
You are liar and it is so sad we are sharing the same country with folks like you. Yahaha Bello is under prosecution. When he was first charged to court, he was remanded just like Ngige till he was able to secure his bail. Ifeanyi Okowa and Tambuwal were arrested by EFCC around the same and both were granted administrative bail pending the conclusion of their investigation. So, how is the fact that Okowa is still under investigation just like Tambuwal a problem?

AMINDA:
So a man under investigation by the EFCC for embezzling 1.3 trillion naira has been appointed as the renewed hope ambassador by your man Friday. What does that say about your tin-god? Are we supposed to believe that the EFCC will still continue to pursue his case with as much gusto as they are currently doing with Malami and Ngige? What happened to the EFCC Chairman swearing to resign if he fails to convict Yahaya Bello?