Gambari: Buhari Was a Democrat at Heart, But Cabals Exploited His Weak Moments

Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed how some appointees bypassed official protocols to secretly communicate with the president. He also defended Buhari’s leadership style, portraying him as a man of integrity, kindness, and quiet strength. Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television on […]

Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed how some appointees bypassed official protocols to secretly communicate with the president.

He also defended Buhari’s leadership style, portraying him as a man of integrity, kindness, and quiet strength.

Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television on Friday, Gambari recounted his experiences serving under Buhari in both military and civilian regimes.

He described the late president as a democrat at heart who believed in collegial decision-making, despite his military background.

“We were civilians in the military government,” Gambari said, reflecting on the 1980s.

“We were not members of the Supreme Military Council. We were members of the Federal Executive Council. But he ran the government as a democrat.”

According to Gambari, Buhari’s democratic instincts were also evident during his second stint as president.

He noted that the Federal Executive Council met every Wednesday, where Buhari ensured that everyone present had the opportunity to contribute.

“When he presided, he gave everybody the chance. Similarly, in the National Security Council meetings, everybody gave their views. Nobody could say they weren’t heard. That’s one character of the late president that people underrated.”

Contrary to public perception of Buhari as aloof or disengaged, Gambari insisted that the president was well-prepared and attentive to detail.

“Some people feel he doesn’t do or know anything. That’s absolutely contrary to the fact. He read his memos carefully. He came prepared.”

He also described Buhari as a compassionate leader who was reluctant to dismiss officials.

“He is a very kind person. He didn’t like to fire anybody. I joined in the last three years, and in that period, only two ministers were dropped. He was always concerned about the impact of sacking on families.”

Addressing persistent reports of a powerful cabal influencing Buhari’s decisions, Gambari did not deny their existence.

Instead, he contextualised it within a broader understanding of how governments operate.

“They say there was a cabal — there was. But every government has a cabal. Some call it a ‘kitchen cabinet’; some may call it a ‘think tank’. Obasanjo had a group of people — the Aboyades of this world and others.”

He explained that all presidents have a trusted inner circle, made up of individuals both within and outside government, with whom they can speak freely.

“It is the nature of the office of the president that they must have people they can lay their hair down with, talk to freely. Some people may have more influence than others, but it’s not peculiar to Buhari.”

However, Gambari revealed a more troubling dynamic during his time as Chief of Staff.

He disclosed that some individuals close to Buhari took advantage of his moments of vulnerability to bypass formal communication channels.

“When I came as Chief of Staff to the President, he made a public statement that all memos must go through the Chief of Staff. Even the Vice President, to his credit, always passed his memos through me, as did several ministers.”

Despite this directive, some appointees ignored the instruction.

“Our people still got their memos to him from behind because they knew his weak point and who to use. He never stopped them, but the advantage I had was that the memos came back to me.”

“They knew his weak moment, they knew when to smuggle [memos] because they knew him as they interacted with him informally.”

Gambari’s remarks echo past criticisms from figures such as Aisha Buhari, who once accused a small group of unnamed individuals of hijacking her husband’s presidency.

Earlier this year, former Minister Solomon Dalung reignited the debate, claiming that the cabal around President Bola Tinubu is even “more dangerous, sophisticated, and ambitious.”

Summing up Buhari’s legacy, Gambari offered a heartfelt tribute:

“He was not perfect, but he was a man of integrity, compassion, and quiet strength. He led with a strong sense of duty, even when misunderstood.”