A newly released biography of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed an alleged behind-the-scenes attempt by some of his aides to manipulate the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries in favour of former Senate President Ahmad Lawan.
The book, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, written by Dr. Charles Omole and presented on December 15, 2025, in Abuja, claims that forged presidential directives were circulated to top security chiefs on the eve of the APC primaries. The fake orders allegedly sought the deployment of security agencies to enforce Lawan’s emergence as the party’s consensus candidate.
According to the account, the then Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, rejected the instructions and immediately sought clarification from Buhari. The former president reportedly denied issuing any such directive, stressing that he had no anointed candidate and that the choice of leadership should be left to Nigerians without interference from security institutions.
The biography further notes that Buhari treated the revelation lightly, even dismissing reports of celebrations in Lawan’s neighbourhood over a supposed endorsement. The incident is portrayed as evidence of Buhari’s insistence on neutrality and his resistance to the misuse of state power for political ends.
The book, which also details other internal power struggles during Buhari’s administration, has reignited debate over internal politics within the APC ahead of the 2023 transition.