Former First Lady Aisha Buhari has revealed that rumours inside the Presidential Villa once made her late husband, President Muhammadu Buhari, believe she wanted to harm him.
She said this fear affected his eating habits and helped trigger the illness that kept him away from office for several months in 2017.
Aisha Buhari shared this in a new biography titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the book, gossip and fear-spreading in Aso Rock briefly caused mistrust between her and the President. Because of this, Buhari changed his daily habits, such as locking his room and skipping meals.
She explained that the break in his carefully planned diet was the start of his health problems. For many years, she personally managed Buhari’s meals and supplements because he had long-standing nutrition issues. She stressed that his illness was not mysterious and was not caused by poisoning.
The book said that after Buhari moved from Kaduna to the Presidential Villa, his feeding was handled by official aides. This led to delays, missed meals, and the stopping of prescribed supplements.
Aisha Buhari said that for almost one year, the President hardly ate lunch regularly. This poor diet greatly weakened him and eventually led to his long medical stays in the United Kingdom in 2017, which lasted a total of 154 days. During that period, he handed over power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
When Buhari returned, he publicly admitted that he had never been that sick before and confirmed that he received blood transfusions during treatment abroad.
The book noted that his long absence led to many rumours and conspiracy theories, including claims that he was poisoned or replaced by a body double. Aisha Buhari dismissed these stories as false, saying the real problem was the loss of a proper nutrition routine.
She said doctors in London placed Buhari on a stricter feeding and supplement plan, which she personally supervised. According to her, once the routine was restored, his recovery was fast, and within days he regained strength and began seeing visitors again.
The author also responded to criticism of Buhari’s foreign medical treatment, explaining that specialised care for an elderly patient may not always be available in Nigeria due to years of poor investment in the health sector.
The book further revealed Aisha Buhari’s claims that there was deep mistrust within the Presidency, including allegations of spying and monitoring of private conversations. She said this atmosphere increased anxiety during Buhari’s final years.
