Did Buhari Endorse Ahmad Lawan for APC’s 2023 Presidential Ticket? New Book Shares Insider Details
- A new biography on Muhammadu Buhari has shared how aides allegedly tried to impose Ahmad Lawan as the APC’s 2023 presidential candidate
- The biography disclosed that Buhari did not endorse Ahmad Lawan as the APC’s 2023 presidential candidate
- The book also detailed internal crises within the Presidential Villa, including Aisha Buhari’s role in the removal of ex-DSS boss Lawal Daura
Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
Abuja, Nigeria - Fresh details have emerged on the circumstances surrounding former president Muhammadu Buhari’s alleged preference for Ahmad Lawan during the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 presidential primaries.
Source: Twitter
The disclosures were contained in From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr Charles Omole and presented on Monday at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
Ahmad Lawan: Details shared by the book
According to the book, powerful individuals close to Buhari allegedly attempted to exploit his authority on the eve of the APC primaries by issuing what were described as fake presidential instructions to security chiefs to ensure Lawan emerged as the party’s consensus candidate.
The biography stated that these individuals approached the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), claiming they were acting on Buhari’s orders.
According to the Guardian, former IGP Alkali Baba was quoted as rejecting the directive and insisting that the matter be clarified directly with the president.
When the security chiefs reportedly met Buhari, the book said he denied giving any such instruction and made it clear that he had not endorsed any aspirant for the APC ticket.
The former president was said to have laughed when informed that celebrations were already ongoing in Lawan’s neighbourhood over claims of presidential backing, stressing that the primaries must proceed without interference from security agencies.
Buhari, DSS crisis and Aisha Buhari’s role
The book also revisited the controversial removal of former DSS Director-General Lawal Daura in 2018, revealing that Buhari deliberately chose not to reverse the action taken by then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
According to the author, Buhari believed overturning the decision would undermine institutional authority, despite pressure from political allies.
Source: Twitter
It further disclosed that former First Lady Aisha Buhari played a significant role in events that led to Daura’s removal, a detail that had not been widely reported.
Gunfire incident inside Presidential Villa
Another revelation in the biography involved a family dispute that reportedly led to gunshots being fired within the Presidential Villa.
The incident allegedly involved a policeman attached to the First Lady’s office. Buhari’s Chief Security Officer was said to have ordered the arrest of the officer, after which investigations uncovered deeper family involvement.
The book claimed Buhari sanctioned those involved, including ordering a relative to leave the Villa, insisting that family ties would not excuse misconduct.
Dr Omole wrote that the episodes portrayed Buhari as a leader whose restraint was often misinterpreted as weakness, noting that several political actors had misrepresented him without his knowledge.
The biography, according to the author, sought to separate Buhari’s personal principles from the myths that surrounded his presidency by offering an insider account of power struggles, loyalty and betrayal at the highest level of government.
'Buhari believed I planned to kill him'
Legit.ng earlier reported that former President Muhammadu Buhari's wife, Aisha, has disclosed that her husband once believed in the Aso Rock gossip that she was planning to kill him.
The former first lady then went further and disclosed how the late president began to treat her at the presidential villa.
Aisha Buhari made this disclosure in a new 600-page biography of the late president, which was unveiled at the State House in Abuja on Monday, December 15.
Was Buhari poisoned while in office?
In a previous story, Legit.ng reported that Buhari's wife, Aisha, clarified the rumour that her late husband was poisoned when he was in office in 2017.
The former first lady also dispelled the rumour that the former president's illness was a result of a mysterious illness, which led to his 154 days of medical leave in 2017.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
