Former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has revealed that her late husband, President Muhammadu Buhari, once believed rumours within Aso Rock that she was plotting to kill him, leading to fear, mistrust and a breakdown in his daily health routine.
According to her account, the gossip caused Buhari to begin locking his room and avoiding meals she had carefully supervised for years, a development she says sparked the health crisis that kept him away from office for 154 days in 2017.
Her revelation is contained in a newly published biography, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, written by Dr Charles Omole and launched at the State House on Monday.
Mrs Buhari rejected long-standing claims that her husband was poisoned or suffering from a mysterious illness, insisting that his condition worsened because his feeding and supplement schedule was disrupted after they moved into the Presidential Villa.
She explained that Buhari, whom she described as naturally slender with a history of malnutrition symptoms, relied on a strict timetable of meals, vitamins and supplements to remain strong.
“Elderly bodies need gentle and consistent care. He did not have a chronic illness. He only needed to stay on schedule,” she said.
The former First Lady said she had briefed close aides, including the President’s doctor, security officials and household staff, on the routine, which involved specific meals and supplements taken at fixed hours each day.
However, she said the system collapsed after rumours spread that she intended to harm the President.
“They said I wanted to kill him. My husband believed them for about a week,” she said, adding that meals were delayed, supplements stopped and, at a point, Buhari went without lunch for nearly a year.
The situation, she said, eventually led to Buhari’s prolonged medical treatment in the United Kingdom, where he handed over power to then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
During one of his returns, Buhari admitted he had “never been so ill” and confirmed receiving blood transfusions.
Mrs Buhari said doctors in London later placed her husband on an even stronger nutrition plan, noting that his recovery began when she personally ensured he took the prescribed supplements.
“After three days, he dropped the walking stick. After one week, he started receiving visitors,” she said.
The biography also addresses widespread speculation during Buhari’s absences, including claims of poisoning and rumours that he had been replaced by a body double known as “Jibril of Sudan”, which Mrs Buhari dismissed as nonsense.
Dr Omole noted that while critics viewed Buhari’s reliance on foreign medical care as a failure of Nigeria’s health system, a more humane view recognises the needs of an ageing leader after decades of underinvestment in healthcare.
The book further highlights a tense atmosphere within the Presidency, with Mrs Buhari alleging surveillance, bugged offices and deep mistrust, factors she said contributed to the strain on her husband’s health.
Despite the challenges, Omole said Buhari’s decision to consistently hand over authority during his absences showed respect for constitutional order, even in moments of serious personal crisis.
