Late President Feared Being Labelled a Dictator, Says Former First Lady
The widow of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha Buhari, has revealed that her husband refrained from changing many of his underperforming appointees due to fears of being branded a dictator.
Aisha made this disclosure in a book titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, which was launched on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The book, written by Dr Charles Omole, chronicles the life and times of the late former President, his military career, and his journey into politics.
According to Aisha Buhari, upon assuming office after the election, significant changes occurred around the President, noting that many individuals who stood by him during the long years of opposition were no longer visible.
She said familiar faces were “locked out,” with their names allegedly logged by security agents and reported to other authorities.
Aisha stated that when she privately raised concerns over the situation and saw no improvement, she decided to speak out publicly.
She described a widening gap between campaign promises and the realities of governance, noting that campaign loyalists were kept outside while technocrats and allies of other interests occupied positions of influence.
“They had money; they had people; but they did not have the power to install a president,” she said. “They reduced Nigeria to a sitting-room meeting.”
The former First Lady further lamented that some individuals who followed Buhari into office did so mainly for material benefits such as money, access, and contracts, rather than a sense of purpose or responsibility.
She noted that many failed to distinguish between power as a responsibility and the rewards that came with proximity to authority.
According to her account, the consequences were evident: schedules were altered, meals disappeared, allies were sidelined, rumours of forged signatures circulated, and a President who feared being labelled a dictator hesitated to dismiss appointees who failed to meet expectations.
“He had the wrong people in the right places,” Aisha Buhari said. “He didn’t change them for eight years.
