By Austine Agbo Emmanuel, Kaduna
Former presidential spokesperson Mallam Garba Shehu has maintained that former President Muhammadu Buhari exited office with his integrity intact and no accumulation of personal wealth.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Shehu asserted that Buhari was never influenced by money or material gifts during his tenure, and that he upheld a long-standing reputation for honesty throughout his administration.
“There is no one who can genuinely say they swayed President Buhari with gifts or money,” Shehu said. “He served with transparency and never deviated from his values.”
Addressing the lingering debate over Buhari’s academic qualifications, Shehu described the matter as a politically driven smear campaign that gained traction during the 2015 election season. He stated that the issue had been thoroughly resolved while Buhari was still in office.
Responding to questions on Buhari’s low public profile since stepping down, Shehu explained that the former president was never one for media theatrics and preferred to remain a private individual.
“He is one of Nigeria’s most consistent newspaper readers,” Shehu said. “He asks for newspapers every day, but he’s not interested in public displays. He has always believed in letting his actions speak for him.”
The remarks followed a press briefing to announce the July 9 release of Shehu’s memoir, According to The President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience, a 260-page account of his time serving in Aso Rock.
In the book, Shehu offers a behind-the-scenes look at his role during Buhari’s administration, sharing insights, personal challenges, and lessons learned from presidential communication. He described the memoir as a vital reference for journalists, researchers, political aides, and students.
Further commenting on Buhari’s post-presidency lifestyle, Shehu stated that the former president is not wealthy and lives simply.
“No journalist has contacted me since Buhari left office for comment on any scandal or investigation. That’s how clean his exit was,” he said. “He has no money, and I sleep more peacefully now.”
Shehu also revisited his time as media adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s second term, describing a tumultuous period marked by political tension, threats, detention, and legal battles.
The book details his experiences under government scrutiny, including being held at the Department of State Services (DSS), imprisonment at Kuje correctional facility, and years of court proceedings.
On Buhari’s legacy, Shehu said the president inherited deep security challenges, particularly the Boko Haram insurgency, and worked to address broader issues like the farmer-herder conflict, which he said has colonial-era roots.
He noted that some state governors were hesitant to fully support Buhari’s efforts, but concluded that the former president served with sincerity and would ultimately be judged kindly by history.
“Time will determine Buhari’s place in the national memory,” Shehu said. “What is clear today is that he left with his reputation intact and without controversy.”
