Prof Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that some members of the president’s inner circle, often referred to as a “cabal,” bypassed official communication channels to gain direct access to the president.
Speaking during a television interview, Gambari disclosed that despite Buhari’s directive mandating that all official memos pass through the chief of staff, some influential individuals exploited informal relationships and moments of vulnerability to sidestep protocol.
“They knew his weak moments. They knew when and how to smuggle memos to him because of their informal interactions with him,” Gambari said.
“When I assumed office as Chief of Staff, he publicly stated that all memos must go through me before reaching him. Even the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo — to his credit — consistently routed his memos through me, as did several ministers. But some individuals close to the president still found ways to deliver memos directly.”
Despite these backchannel attempts, Gambari noted that many of the memos eventually returned to his desk, giving him a measure of control and insight.
“The advantage I had was that the memos still came back to me,” he said.
Gambari, who served as Buhari’s Chief of Staff from 2020 to 2023, is a former diplomat and UN Special Envoy.
President Muhammadu Buhari died on Sunday at a London clinic in the United Kingdom. He was buried on Tuesday in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.
‘Every Presidency Has a Cabal’
Gambari also addressed the persistent controversy surrounding the existence of a cabal in Buhari’s administration, asserting that such groups are common in all presidencies — though under different labels.
“They say there was a cabal — yes, there was. But every government has a cabal,” he stated.
“Some call it a ‘kitchen cabinet’, others a ‘think tank’. During Obasanjo’s era, there were people like the Aboyades — a small, trusted group.”
According to Gambari, it is the nature of the presidential office to rely on both formal and informal advisers.
“Every president has individuals — in and out of government — whom they confide in. Some may have more influence than others, but I boldly say every administration has a cabal, regardless of what name it is given.”