Fresh comments from the family of former President Muhammadu Buhari have reopened public debate about how power was exercised during his time in office.
Fatima Buhari, one of the late former president’s daughters, alleged that excessive authority was concentrated in the hands of her father’s former private secretary, Tunde Sabiu.
Fatima made the claim in a message shared on her verified X account in the early hours of Tuesday.
In the post, she openly questioned the level of influence held by her father’s aide while Buhari governed Nigeria.
“My father’s former private secretary, Tunde Sabiu, had too much power during Buhari’s presidency,” she said.
The statement quickly gained attention online and triggered sharp responses from some users. One of them, Ahmad Sadeeq, criticised Fatima’s remarks and accused her of drawing attention using the Buhari family name.
“You are using Buhari’s family name to chase clout. Allow him and his family to rest abeg,” Sadeeq advised.
Tunde Sabiu played a prominent role around the former president during his eight years in office.
He is widely known to be a close relative of Buhari and was often described as one of the most influential figures operating behind the scenes in the presidency.
During Buhari’s administration, Sabiu’s name repeatedly surfaced in discussions about policy decisions.
He was also linked to key government actions, including the controversial naira redesign policy introduced shortly before the 2023 general elections.
That policy triggered nationwide cash shortages and sparked public outrage, especially among small businesses and low-income earners.
At the time, questions were raised about who truly drove the decision and how it was implemented.
