Former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, has confirmed the existence of a cabal within Aso Rock during the Buhari administration and revealed that the group often bypassed the president’s official directives.
Gambari described the cabal as a small inner circle of powerful individuals who operated behind the scenes and, at times, undermined formal procedures.
He made the disclosure while speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television.
“There was a cabal in Aso Rock during Buhari’s administration—just like in every other administration,” he said. “Some may call them a kitchen cabinet, others call them a think tank. Obasanjo also had a group of people like that. It’s the nature of the office of the President.”
Gambari, who served as Buhari’s Chief of Staff from 2020 to 2023, said the president had given clear instructions that all official memos must pass through his office. However, he disclosed that some individuals within the cabal found ways to sidestep this order.
“When I was appointed as Chief of Staff, the President made it clear that every memo must pass through my office—even the Vice President complied. Yet, some people still found ways to bypass the process. They knew the weak points—who to use—and he never stopped them,” Gambari stated.
While he did not name those involved, his revelations support earlier allegations by First Lady Aisha Buhari, who had repeatedly claimed that a cabal had taken control of the presidency.
Between 2019 and 2020, the First Lady publicly accused unnamed individuals of blocking access to her husband and influencing major decisions without accountability.
The former Chief of Staff noted that while President Buhari remained in charge of key decisions, there were times he would allow certain things to slide, especially when the matter became politically sensitive.
“When some memos came back to me and we talked about certain decisions, he would immediately change some. But for others, he would say, ‘Prof., let this go—just to protect me,’” Gambari revealed.
