Following the passing on Nigeria’s immediate-past president, Muhammadu Buhari, his aides and close associates have continued to reveal aspects of his personality to the public.
Buhari’s former chief of staff Prof Ibrahim Gambari, has explained why the late former president was reluctant to sack members of his cabinet in spite of complaints against them and subsequent calls for their removal.
While speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Inside Sources’ programme monitored in Abuja yesterday, Gambari described his former principal as a compassionate man who served Nigeria with everything he had.
According to him, Buhari did not sack his appointees because loved his appointees just as he loved Nigerians.
Gambari, a former United Nations special envoy was Buhari’s second-term chief of staff and served from May 13, 2020 to May 29, 2023, following the death of Abba Kyari.
He also spoke on how the late former president’s cabal bypassed him to smuggle memos to Buhari.
He said, “They say there was a cabal; there was. Every government has a cabal. They may call them a kitchen cabinet; they may call them a think tank.
“Obasanjo had a group of people – the Aboyades of this world and others, a small group of people; it’s the nature of the office of the president that they must have some people in and out of government whom they can let their guard down to and talk freely.
“Some have more powers than others, but I’m bold to say that every government has a cabal of some kind or another, whatever name it is called. So, there was (a cabal under Buhari).”
The former chief of staff however did not name those who belonged to the cabal in Buhari’s government.
But he said members of the cabal knew Buhari’s weak point.
“They knew his weak moments; they knew when to smuggle (memos) because they knew him as they interacted with him informally. When I came in as chief of staff to the president, he made a statement publicly. He said all memos must go through the chief of staff before coming to him.
“Even Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to his credit, always passed his memos through me and several ministers, but ‘our people’ still got their memos to him (Buhari) from behind because they knew his weak point and who to use, and he never stopped them but the advantage I had was that the memos came back to me,” he said.
Gambari said though Buhari had a group of powerful individuals who shaped his opinions and decisions on national issues, they knew their limits.
Ganbari asserted that the nature of the office of the president required having a think tank.
Buhari was a great listener; his ill heath affected him – Amaechi
On his part, Buhari’s Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi told LEADERSHIP Weekend that many might not know that Buhari was a great listener at meetings, especially the Federal Executive Council meeting.
Amaechi, who was considered to be very close to the former president, said Buhari hardly interrupted at their meetings whenever a minister was making a presentation.
Rather, he said, the late former president would call ministers to make contributions to issues at stake, listen attentively and make jottings.
Amaechi said, ‘‘The late president was a great listener. At our meetings, which took longer hours, President Buhari would listen to every minister as he calls them to make their presentations.
‘‘He would be making jottings, shaking his head, and calling ministers by portfolios. Even as much as we were close, he would use my ministry to call me whenever it was my turn to make contributions.
‘‘The president (may his soul rest in peace) loved the country and was passionate about the country, but I think his sickness affected him.’’
Buhari never came late to cabinet meetings – Fashola
In his testimony, Babatunde Fashola, who served as Buhari’s minister of power, works and housing, said he (Buhari) never came late to cabinet meetings.
Fashola, who was a former governor of Lagos State, said what often went unnoticed in public commentary was Buhari’s unwavering commitment to the core values that bind any serious society like order, and punctuality.
‘‘He did not just talk about these values; he lived them,’’ Fashiola said.
He was perhaps the most punctual public servant ever encountered- never late to cabinet meetings, always respecting the time of others. It may seem a small thing, but in governance, it is everything. It sets tone.
‘‘President Buhari was not a man to micromanage; instead, he gave you the space and the trust to deliver. With that trust, however, came the highest expectations of discipline, results, and honesty.’’
Buhari’s love for football was legendary, says Dare
Also speaking on the Buhari persona, former minister of youth and sports development and current special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on media and public communications, Sunday Dare, described him a person who was passionate about football, sports in general and youth development.
Dare described him as a man of uncommon discipline, deep patriotism, and quiet strength whose leadership style and legacy continue to inspire many across the country.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP Weekend, Dare recounted a defining moment in the run-up to the APC presidential primaries in 2014, when he was assigned by the then party leader and now president, Bola Tinubu, to “close-mark” the former head of state and monitor the media currents surrounding his candidacy, especially in the South West.
“The truth, however, is that only one man was atop all media narratives and told us what to do. The APC primaries in Lagos was a battle ahead. Only one man deserved it. And one man was determined to deliver it,” Dare recalled.
He told a behind-the-scenes story about a pivotal campaign document – a speech addressed to APC delegates by then-presidential aspirant Buhari.
Upon reviewing the initial draft entitled “Letter to the Delegates”, he said Tinubu instructed him to rewrite it immediately.”That rewrite, which was later approved and sent forward, birthed one of Buhari’s most memorable campaign lines.”
According to Dare, the president told the nation: “I can’t give you a pocketful of dollars or naira to purchase your support. Even if I could, I would not do so. What I will give you, and this nation is all of my strength, commitment, sweat and toil in the service of the people. What I can give you is my all.”
Reflecting on his time as a cabinet member, Dare described it was a “distinct honour and privilege” to serve under President Buhari during his second term.
According to him, Buhari’s decision to appoint him to lead the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development reflected not just personal trust but also the president’s deep-seated belief in empowering young Nigerians and repositioning sports as a tool for national development and unity.
“I saw, up close, the depth of his commitment to the youth of this country and his quiet but determined passion for service,” he said.
Describing Buhari as a “symbol of discipline, simplicity and integrity,” Dare said Nigeria had lost more than a former leader; it had lost its moral compass.
“President Muhammadu Buhari was, in every sense, a leader. His dedication to this country was neither theatrical nor fleeting; it was silent, steady, and sacrificial. He served Nigeria with clarity of purpose and a commitment that never wavered through the storms of governance.”
According to him, those who worked closely with Buhari understood his style, one of responsibility, minimal fanfare, and maximum results.
“He did not indulge in long speeches or empty praise; instead, he gave you the space and responsibility to deliver on your mandate, trusting you to rise to the occasion. I will forever cherish those moments of private counsel, his measured words, and his unmistakable sense of duty,” he said.
In the build-up to the 2023 general elections, Dare said Buhari’s statesmanship shone brightly.
“He placed the interests of Nigeria above all else. Amidst all the subterfuge and assaults on our democracy, he remained firm, standing by the constitution, upholding the sanctity of the ballot, and keeping faith with democracy when it mattered most.
“His restraint, where others would have yielded to pressure, remains a hallmark of his statesmanship. He demonstrated that power could be held, but must ultimately be returned to the people,” Dare added.
He described Buhari’s life as “a masterclass in public service” and extended his condolences on behalf of thousands of Nigerian youth and athletes whose lives were touched and transformed by the former president’s policies.
He also acknowledged the bond between President Tinubu and his late predecessor, noting that both men had journeyed together in the service of Nigeria.
“The civilian soldier met the soldier-turned-civilian in the battle to enhance the Nigerian Project and Renew the Hope of Nigeria. That journey continues,” he concluded.
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