The Digest:
President Muhammadu Buhari, was compromised by a "mafia" of elites and relatives who placed their private interests above national goals. Her testimony, featured in a newly unveiled book, attributes the shortcomings of his eight-year tenure to being surrounded by the wrong people in key positions.
Key Points:
- Aisha Buhari described a "small court of elderly relatives and elites" that held the president captive.
- She recounted efforts by this group to push her out of the Villa and control access to the president.
- The former First Lady said this "mafia" dictated appointments and created a gap between campaign promises and governance.
- She claimed signatures were forged, allies were excluded, and Buhari hesitated to dismiss underperformers.
- Her blunt assessment: “He had the wrong people in the right places... He didn’t change them for eight years.”
- The book explains her strategic support for Bola Tinubu in 2023, citing power rotation and electoral viability.
- She stated the Northern governors consulted believed Tinubu was the "most sellable" Southern candidate.
Sources: Nigerian Tribune, Punch
