Former presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, has clarified the circumstances surrounding his transition from working with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to serving as Senior Special Assistant on Media to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday during a media briefing to announce his forthcoming memoir, titled ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience’, Shehu said his move was neither a betrayal nor an act of disloyalty.
The book, scheduled for public presentation on July 9, 2025, chronicles Shehu’s years of service under President Buhari.
Addressing questions about his political switch, Shehu explained that following Buhari’s victory at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary in 2014, all other aspirants—including Atiku—contributed their campaign structures and personnel to support Buhari’s general election bid.
According to Shehu, this collective gesture was part of party unity efforts ahead of the 2015 general election.
“All those who contested with Buhari for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2014 donated their campaign assets to Buhari after he won the primary election,” Shehu stated.
He emphasised that his redeployment to Buhari’s campaign team was a direct outcome of this arrangement.
“It was on that basis that Buhari appointed me the spokesperson of the presidential campaign council and thereafter went on to appoint me as his spokesperson when he won in the general election,” he explained.
Shehu had previously served as Atiku’s spokesperson and was replaced by Mr. Paul Ibe in 2015.
