Buhari ‘s Ex-Aide: Amaechi’s Comments On Late President Shocking

A former aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has described former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi’s recent comments about the late president as shocking.

Amaechi had reportedly claimed that Buhari promised him the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general election.

Reacting to the claim, Ahmad, who served as Buhari’s Special Assistant on New Media, said the revelation would surprise many Nigerians familiar with the late president’s political principles and character.

In a statement shared on his social media pages, Ahmad maintained that Buhari generally allowed the party’s internal democratic processes to operate independently rather than interfere in primaries to favour preferred candidates.

He said the late president rarely intervened to impose candidates, even when he had personal preferences, adding that he often chose to remain neutral.

“This is why Rotimi Amaechi’s recent revelations would come as a shock and surprise to many who knew President Buhari, his principles and his political character,” Ahmad said.

He expressed hope that people with more knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the alleged promise would come forward to clarify the matter and protect the reputation of the late president.

“I sincerely hope those with greater knowledge and privileged information will come forward to clarify these allegations and help protect the reputation of our late boss, whom we all knew as a man who stood firmly by his word and would never deliberately betray his promises,” he added.

Ahmad further recalled Buhari’s popular political position, saying: “He was indeed for everybody and he was for nobody.”

Rotimi Amaechi last week alleged that the late President Buhari promised in writing to endorse him ahead of the APC presidential primary in 2022 but failed to honour the commitment.

Mr Amaechi, who finished second behind Bola Tinubu at the primary, said he relied on the assurance rather than negotiate political deals that could have strengthened his chances of securing the party’s nomination.

Speaking on Mainland 98.3 FM’s The Situation Room programme on Friday, the former Minister of Transportation described his decision to trust Mr Buhari as his first mistake in the contest.

“The first mistake that I made at that primary was that I listened to President Buhari,” he said.

“He said to me, ‘Don’t campaign. Don’t do anything. I will announce you as my candidate.'”

Asked whether Mr Buhari had personally given him the assurance, Mr Amaechi said the former president had put it in writing.