Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed how certain members of Buhari’s inner circle bypassed him to smuggle memos directly to the president.
“They knew when he was most vulnerable, and they used that knowledge to sneak memos in. They understood him well through informal interactions,” Gambari disclosed during Channels Television’s Inside Sources on Friday.
A former United Nations special envoy, Gambari served as Buhari’s Chief of Staff from 13 May 2020 to 29 May 2023, following the death of his predecessor, Abba Kyari.
“When I became Chief of Staff, the President publicly stated that all memos must go through me. Even Vice President Yemi Osinbajo consistently complied, as did several ministers. Yet, others still managed to get their memos directly to him. They exploited his weakness and knew whom to use. He never stopped them,” Gambari explained. “Fortunately, many of those memos still ended up back on my desk.”
Reflecting on his tenure with the late President, who passed away on 13 July 2025, Gambari described Buhari as a compassionate leader who genuinely cared for his appointees and the Nigerian people. He attributed Buhari’s reluctance to sack underperforming cabinet members to this deep-seated affection.
Gambari also acknowledged that Buhari had a close-knit circle of influential advisers who shaped his views and decisions. “They existed, but they knew their boundaries,” he said.
He noted that every administration has such a group — often referred to as a cabal, kitchen cabinet, or think tank. “It’s the nature of the presidency,” he remarked. “President Obasanjo had his own inner circle — people like the Aboyades. It’s normal for a president to have trusted individuals, within or outside government, with whom he can speak freely.”
Gambari recalled that even during Buhari’s military rule, the presence of an advisory group stirred discontent among his colleagues. “I served as a minister from 1984 to 1985, but I wasn’t privy to the reasons behind his ousting. However, I was told some military officers grew uncomfortable with Buhari relying heavily on civilian advice, which clashed with decisions of the Supreme Military Council.”
Born on 17 December 1942, Buhari first ruled Nigeria as a military head of state between January 1984 and August 1985. He later returned as a democratically elected president in May 2015 and served two terms, handing over to President Bola Tinubu in May 2023.