Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has disclosed that some key figures within the previous administration bypassed him to deliver memos directly to the president—despite a standing directive to the contrary.
Appearing on Inside Sources, a programme aired on Channels Television, Gambari revealed that Buhari had insisted all memos be routed through his office. However, certain appointees often sidestepped this instruction by taking advantage of moments when the president was more accessible and less formal.
“They knew how to reach him informally,” Gambari said, explaining that while many respected the procedure—including then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and several ministers—some still managed to deliver documents directly to the president.
“They understood his weak points and knew exactly who to use. Although he didn’t stop them, the advantage I had was that those memos often found their way back to me eventually,” he said.
Gambari, who took over the role in May 2020 following the death of Abba Kyari, also addressed long-standing claims about the existence of a so-called “cabal” within the presidency. According to him, every administration operates with a small inner circle, even if it goes by different names.
“Call it a cabal, kitchen cabinet, or think tank—every government has people, both within and outside official positions, that a president trusts and consults freely,” he explained. “It’s a natural part of governance.”
Reflecting on Buhari’s earlier leadership during his military era in the 1980s, Gambari noted that his increasing reliance on non-military advisers may have led to resentment within the Supreme Military Council, ultimately contributing to his ouster in 1985. Although he wasn’t privy to the internal decisions at the time, Gambari said that’s what he later learned.
He also described Buhari as someone deeply loyal to his team, saying the former president was often reluctant to dismiss officials even when there was public pressure to do so.
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