Former First Lady, Dr. Aisha Buhari, has revealed that late President Muhammadu Buhari’s health challenges while in office were worsened by long-standing malnutrition and the actions of influential individuals around him who allegedly turned him against her.
These revelations are contained in a new book, “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari,” written by Dr. Charles Omole and unveiled on Monday at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
According to excerpts from the book, Aisha Buhari said her husband’s major health crisis in 2017 was neither mysterious nor the result of poisoning, as widely speculated at the time. Rather, she attributed it to the breakdown of a carefully managed nutrition and supplement routine she had supervised for years before Buhari became president.
The former First Lady disclosed that Buhari had battled symptoms of malnutrition long before assuming office and that she had consistently managed his diet with vitamins and supplements while they lived in Kaduna. However, she said this routine collapsed after they moved into the Presidential Villa.
The book recounts that Aisha Buhari convened a meeting with the president’s close aides, including his personal physician, Chief Security Officer, housekeeper and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, to outline a detailed dietary plan tailored to his age and health needs.
She reportedly explained that Buhari did not suffer from any chronic illness but required consistent nutritional support due to his age, stressing the importance of scheduled meals and supplements. According to her account, the plan was initially accepted but later undermined.
Aisha Buhari alleged that some members of the president’s inner circle began spreading rumours and fear, accusing her of having harmful intentions toward her husband. She said these claims influenced Buhari, leading to strained relations between them.
“My husband believed them for a while,” she was quoted as saying, adding that he began locking his room to prevent her access and altering long-standing personal habits. She noted that meals became irregular, supplements were discontinued and the dietary structure she had maintained for years was abandoned.
The former First Lady further claimed that Buhari, who was naturally slim and ate sparingly, began to lose weight significantly. She said he often skipped lunch for extended periods, worsening his condition.
According to the book, Aisha Buhari was told that her husband had become “state property” and that decisions regarding his care were no longer hers to make. She alleged that his personal staff and their backers took control of his daily routine, with negative consequences for his health.
She dismissed claims that Buhari was poisoned or afflicted by any strange illness, insisting that his health deteriorated due to poor nutritional management. When he was eventually taken to London for treatment, she said doctors prescribed an even more intensive supplement regimen, reinforcing her position that nutrition was central to his condition.
The book presents the account as a deeply personal reflection on the challenges faced within the presidency and the impact of internal power dynamics on the former president’s health and family life.
