A comprehensive new biography of former President Muhammadu Buhari has shed light on the calculated motives behind his refusal to publicly endorse a successor during the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.
The 600-page work, titled ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari’, was authored by Dr. Charles Omole, Director General of the Institute for Police and Security Policy Research (IPSPR), debuted in Abuja on Monday, the 15th of December, 2025.
During the unveiling, former Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi, offered a rare perspective on the inner workings of the presidency during that volatile transition period.
He clarified that Buhari’s perceived detachment was, in reality, a high-stakes security maneuver intended to prevent political violence and the potential implosion of the ruling party.
Bichi revealed that the decision to remain neutral was driven by intelligence reports suggesting that a formal endorsement would have turned the chosen candidate into a physical target. He noted that while the public interpreted the President’s silence as a lack of interest, it was a deliberate shield.
“In those months, knives were out; politically and, as security professionals know too well, sometimes literally,” Bichi said. “To name an anointed heir would be to paint a target on a human being and to foreclose a process that, for all its imperfections, was designed to distribute risk.”
By refusing to name a favorite, Buhari essentially acted as a lightning rod for criticism to protect the broader political ecosystem. Bichi emphasized that the former President chose to be viewed as distant rather than risk the safety of an individual or the unity of the APC.
“Buhari chose silence, and in doing so, absorbed the criticism that he was aloof. He was not. He was shielding a life and preserving a fragile equilibrium inside a party whose factions could as easily burn down the house as surrender the nomination they coveted,” Bichi explained.
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The biography also revisits the controversial 2018 removal of Lawal Daura as the head of the DSS. The decision was made by Prof. Yemi Osinbajo while he was serving as Acting President during Buhari’s medical leave abroad. Despite significant pressure from political allies to reinstate Daura upon his return, Buhari stood his ground to protect the integrity of the office.
Bichi noted that Buhari believed that “having lawfully delegated authority to his Vice President, Buhari considered any attempt to countermand that decision as injurious to institutional stability.” To the former President, overturning Osinbajo’s directive would have been “an insult to his vice,” and a dangerous violation of the chain of command. Even when the removal affected his close circle, “Buhari refused to interfere,” demonstrating a refusal to personalize the instruments of power.
The former DSS boss painted a portrait of a leader who demanded professional rigor over political theater. He described Buhari as a disciplined figure who consistently interrogated security reports with the phrase, “Where is your proof?” This insistence on verification over rumor allowed security agencies to maintain a level of professional autonomy and accountability.
The event at the Presidential Villa served as a gathering of West African leadership, attended by President Tinubu, Gambian President Adama Barrow, and a wide array of diplomats and traditional rulers. The consensus presented was that Buhari viewed public office as a sacred trust, prioritizing the long-term stability of the nation over the immediate demands of partisan politics.