Former presidential spokesman Garba Shehu has rejected claims that cabals controlled former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Appearing on Politics Today on Channels Television, Shehu described such claims as “utter nonsense”, insisting that Buhari held final authority throughout his presidency.
“This talk of cabals is absolute nonsense,” he stated. “Buhari remained a military general, even as a democrat. The final decisions always rested with him.”
There had been persistent rumours suggesting that Buhari’s government was heavily influenced by a close-knit inner circle. Former Sports Minister Solomon Dalung even alleged in January that Buhari had become a mere figurehead in his own administration.
“Yes, there were cabals in Buhari’s government,” Dalung had said. “But they lacked political experience, administrative knowledge, and governance skills.”
Shehu, however, maintained that Buhari took advice but was never dictated to.
“I can tell you confidently that no one could guarantee that Buhari would agree just because you told him something,” he said. “He had his own mind. People could advise, but the buck stopped on his desk.”
Shehu also argued that Buhari was far more aware of national matters than many assumed.
“If there’s ever a way to assess this, Buhari may well go down as the most aware president Nigeria has had,” he asserted.
He explained that Buhari’s refusal to micromanage ministers had been misinterpreted as a lack of interest in governance.
“Buhari wasn’t meddlesome. He never behaved as though he owned the country. He was no dictator,” Shehu added.
When asked whether Buhari played a key role in President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 election victory, Shehu dismissed the idea.
“Someone must have dreamt that. It didn’t happen,” he said. “After the election, I sat with President Tinubu, and he told me, ‘President Buhari allowed me to win in a free and fair election.’”