Backlash Trails Aisha Buhari’s Revelations in Late President’s Biography

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Public outrage has continued to trail comments attributed to former First Lady, Dr Aisha Buhari, in a newly launched biography documenting the life and presidency of her late husband, former President Muhammadu Buhari.

 Senior political figures, commentators, and citizens have condemned what they describe as ill-timed and damaging posthumous revelations.

 The comments, which focus on alleged internal tensions, family influence, and governance challenges during Buhari’s eight-year tenure, are contained in the book From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr Charles Omole. The biography was unveiled at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, in an event attended by President Bola Tinubu, his wife Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and other dignitaries.

Excerpts from the book quote Aisha Buhari claiming she resisted attempts by a powerful cabal within Aso Rock, including relatives and close associates, to edge her and her children out of the Presidential Villa. She alleged that some individuals exploited Buhari’s fondness for his extended family and old friends to manipulate him, undermining the administration’s policy goals.

“If the 2017 crisis began in a kitchen, its broader stage was the house where that kitchen was situated. Aso Villa is not merely a home, but an ecosystem,” she was quoted as saying. “They tried to push everybody out, including me. This is my house. You can live wherever you like, but you cannot be in charge of my husband’s office and then also be in charge of me, his wife, inside my house.”

The former First Lady also highlighted what she described as a weakness of the Buhari administration: a reluctance to remove non-performing officials due to emotional restraint, fear of public perception, and influence by close aides. She said Buhari often hesitated to sack underperforming appointees out of sympathy and concern over being labelled authoritarian.

The revelations have drawn criticism from political figures. Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai urged restraint, warning against exploiting the memory of a deceased leader, while former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, stressed that death should impose moral restraint, arguing that private disputes should not be aired publicly when rebuttal is impossible.

Political commentary platform Haruspice argued that personal memoirs cannot override the lived national experience of Nigerians, noting that Buhari’s record had long been judged independently of insider narratives. Comparisons were also made to past First Ladies, such as Turai Yar’Adua and Mariam Abacha, who, despite alleged behind-the-scenes influence, did not publicly indict their spouses after death.

The debate intensified online after an Instagram post attributed to one of the Indimi daughters circulated widely, raising questions about family loyalty, timing, and propriety. Across social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, public sentiment has largely been critical, with many Nigerians viewing the biography as reopening settled questions rather than promoting reflection or closure.

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