The Truth Behind Buhari’s Medical Trips: Garba Shehu Reveals All

Malam Garba Shehu was the Senior Special Assistant to former President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity. He served in that capacity from 2015 to 2023. In this exclusive interview, he shares his experiences as a spokesperson to the Buhari administration, as well as his previous stint with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

He also speaks on the reactions to the former president’s medical trips, the criticisms of the administration in spite of its achievements, and his plans for the future.

You had worked with politicians before becoming the spokesperson of the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration. How would you describe your experiences?

Well, I didn’t work with many politicians. I only worked with Atiku Abubakar when he was the vice president. Before that, I was a journalist and a public relations practitioner. I worked at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and then at the Daily Triumph newspaper. I also worked at the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, from where I was called to serve as a spokesperson to Atiku Abubakar.

That was a very challenging period because I joined the government in the second term of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and from the beginning till the end, there was a rift between the president and his vice. I was caught in the middle of that conflict and I suffered a lot of harassment and intimidation.

I was arrested several times by the Department of State Service (DSS). I slept in their custody. I was taken to Kuje prison. I went through trial. For more than two years, I didn’t have a passport. I was barely on bail until I was discharged and acquitted.

So, it was trouble all through until Atiku donated our team to Muhammadu Buhari, who had won the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), along with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the late Sam Nda-Isaiah. Other aspirants put their assets together and said: “Go and work for the candidate who emerged.”

That was how we started with Buhari. He looked around and made me his director of media for the campaign, so I led the team. And we won and he gave me a job in his office. So, there was no fight while serving Buhari as we experienced in the past. It was about governance.

You said you would love to go back to Bayero University (BUK), Kano to teach; has there been any contact?

No. If I recall very well, I said I would first of all go on vacation because I need time to decompress and calm down. For eight years, there was no provision for annual vacation for personal staff. Therefore, my priority number one is to go and rest, then think of what to do.

Yes, I said BUK was one of the options. Did I hear from BUK since my interview? I don’t know if they had read the interview because nobody has spoken to me.

I don’t want to mention organisations like television, radio or newspaper, but one of them, including one from the United States, has said: “Why don’t you join us? We will accommodate you.” But I am not giving a thought to all of that. Let me rest.

What if you are called upon to serve in the new government?

If I am asked to serve, I will serve, but I am not going to politicians’ houses. Alhamdulillah, I still have the strength to serve. And I think there is still more one can do. But I will not lobby or beg for jobs; I didn’t do it before.

Former President Buhari was always going on medical trips to the United Kingdom and there were reactions from Nigerians; how did you cope with the pressure of defending him?

It was not difficult because we were always honest and transparent about his health status. In 2015, before he assumed office he spent days in the United Kingdom for medical check-up. He came back to the country only two or three days ahead of inauguration.

We received him at the airport in Abuja and quite a number of journalists were waiting and they were curious about his health. I asked him how we would manage the situation and he said it was not a big deal. He said, “I was in the hospital. Who doesn’t go to hospital? And you have to consider my age.”

So, there was no need to tell lies or hide anything. We told Nigerians the truth and they appreciated it. And whenever he travelled for medical reasons, we always informed them and gave updates.

Are you saying that Nigerians were told the truth in the last eight years?

I am being honest with you. I think we were as open and forthright as anybody could be. And we did this because we had a boss who was absolutely above scandal. He had integrity and character. Nigerians trusted him and we never betrayed their trust.

Was there any time he was going out to speak and you were worried that there would be a gaffe?

No, not at all. He was always well prepared and confident. Sometimes, he would go on stage with a prepared speech but close the script, put it aside and speak from his heart.

What happened when he did that?

You would only watch as it was beyond anybody’s control.

Was there no anxiety at such moments?

He would usually deliver his best speeches. He would speak with passion and conviction. He would connect with the audience and inspire them. He would say things that were not in the script but were relevant and important.

Sometimes, leaders are constrained by officialdom and protocol. They deserve freedom to do and say what they think from their hearts. He liked to do that from time to time.

After eight years as a presidential spokesman, are there regrets?

Honestly, I don’t have any regret. But there are things you wish could have gone differently.

Specifically, was there a particular incident you issued a statement on but later thought could have been done differently or even stepped down?

Yes. One example is the story of the 300 girls abducted from Kankara in Katsina State by bandits and the military authorities said the number was less than 10. You went there and announced on international platforms, only for you to be invited to a reception of 270 girls freed from the bandits. I felt bad about it. Why did I need to underplay the number? What was there to gain from that? I am sure that a lot of parents and teachers would have felt you were insensitive to their plight. But truly, that was not the case. And those guys just moved on. They didn’t think they had thrown you under the bus. It is difficult to manage such situations.

Why do you think there are criticisms against former President Buhari on the social media despite your achievements?

Lai Mohammed used to say that it is easier to wake the person who is asleep than the one pretending to be asleep. These things are known and people are talking about it every day. As long as the journalism rule that bad news is good news has not changed, we will continue to be in trouble, especially from the point of view of the government because they (newspapers) will think that nobody would buy it.

Well, some people are just misinformed or biased or have ulterior motives. They don’t want to acknowledge the facts or appreciate the efforts of the government. They prefer to spread falsehood and propaganda to discredit the administration.

But we don’t let them distract us or discourage us. We know what we have done and what we are doing for the country. We have made tremendous achievements in security, economy, infrastructure, anti-corruption, agriculture, health, education, social welfare, foreign policy and many other areas.

We have also faced many challenges such as insecurity, COVID-19 pandemic, recession, low oil prices, etc. But we have overcome them with resilience and determination.

We are proud of our record and we are confident that history will vindicate us.

How do you feel about the criticisms?

We just laugh over them or ignore them. They are not worth our time or attention. They are just noise makers who have nothing positive to offer.

We focus on our work and our goals. We communicate with Nigerians who appreciate our efforts and support our vision.

We also learn from constructive feedback and criticism that can help us improve our performance and service delivery.

We are always open to dialogue and engagement with all stakeholders who have genuine interest in the development of Nigeria.

You said you had no regrets; but how do you feel about leaving office?

I feel fulfilled and grateful for the opportunity to serve my country at the highest level. It was a great honour and privilege to work with former President Buhari who is a man of integrity, vision and patriotism.

I also feel happy that I contributed my quota to the advancement of Nigeria in various ways.

I thank God for His guidance and protection throughout my tenure.

I thank former President Buhari for his confidence and support.

I thank my colleagues in the media team and other personal staff for their cooperation and dedication.

I thank all Nigerians who supported us with their prayers and goodwill.

I thank all journalists who covered us with professionalism and fairness.

I thank all friends and well-wishers who encouraged us with their words and deeds.

I thank my family for their love and understanding.

I leave office with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

But I also leave with a sense of responsibility and commitment to continue to serve Nigeria in whatever capacity I can.

Nigeria is my country and I love it dearly.

May God bless Nigeria.

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