Fresh details from a newly released biography of late former President Muhammadu Buhari have provided clarity on his much-debated decision to avoid publicly endorsing a successor ahead of the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.
According to the book, the choice was not driven by political distance or indecision, but by calculated security concerns surrounding the volatile internal dynamics of the ruling party at the time.
The revelations are contained in From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, a 600-page biography authored by Dr Charles Omole, Director General of the Institute for Police and Security Policy Research.
The book was presented in Abuja at a high-profile ceremony attended by President Bola Tinubu, Gambian President Adama Barrow, and other political stakeholders.
Moreover, the biography draws on insider accounts from key security officials, including former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, who offered context on the tense political atmosphere preceding the APC primaries.
Bichi disclosed that Buhari privately feared that naming a preferred candidate would expose that individual to serious danger due to intense rivalries and unchecked ambitions within the party.
“The former president was deeply concerned about the personal safety of anyone openly positioned as his successor,” Bichi said.
“The political temperature at the time was not only high, it was also unpredictable.”
Furthermore, Bichi explained that Buhari deliberately chose restraint as a way of diffusing risk and preventing internal escalation.
“To single out one aspirant would have meant concentrating hostility on one person,” he said. “Allowing the process to run its course helped reduce tension and distribute political risk.”
The former intelligence chief added that Buhari’s silence, which drew criticism from some party leaders, was intended to preserve internal stability rather than frustrate succession planning.
“He understood how fragile the party structure had become,” Bichi said. “His decision was about shielding lives and preventing a breakdown of order.”
Eventually, Bola Tinubu won the APC presidential primary and secured victory in the general election, a development the book suggests vindicated Buhari’s cautious approach.
In addition, the biography sheds light on Buhari’s broader leadership philosophy, particularly his respect for institutional authority.
One example highlighted is Buhari’s refusal to overturn the removal of Lawal Daura as Director-General of the DSS during the period when the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo served as Acting President.
Despite pressure from political allies to reverse the decision after his return, Buhari declined to interfere.
Bichi explained that Buhari believed countermanding Osinbajo’s action would weaken the legitimacy of the acting presidency and undermine institutional order.
“He felt that reversing the decision would amount to disrespecting the office he had entrusted with authority,” Bichi said. “For him, protecting institutions came before personal relationships.”
Hence, the biography portrays Buhari as a leader guided by security calculations and constitutional discipline, even when such choices attracted political backlash.
As discussions over his legacy continue, the book offers a deeper understanding of decisions that once appeared distant or enigmatic to the public.