Why Buhari shunned endorsing a successor — Ex-DSS DG reveals

Fresh details have emerged on why former President Muhammadu Buhari declined to publicly endorse a successor ahead of the 2022 presidential election.

The revelation is contained in a newly published book, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, which examines Buhari’s leadership style, security outlook, and handling of power within the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The 600-page book, authored by Dr Charles Omole, Director General of the Institute for Police and Security Policy Research (IPSPR), was unveiled in Abuja and features insider accounts from top officials who worked closely with the former president.

One of the key insights was provided by former Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi, who addressed the long-standing debate over Buhari’s decision not to anoint a preferred candidate during the APC presidential primaries.

Bichi explained that Buhari deliberately avoided endorsing any aspirant for security reasons and to preserve unity within the ruling party.

He disclosed that intelligence assessments at the time suggested that openly backing a candidate could expose such a person to serious security threats amid the highly charged political environment.

According to him, Buhari’s silence was widely misinterpreted as indifference, whereas it was a calculated move aimed at preventing internal conflict and possible fragmentation of the APC.

The former DSS boss said Buhari believed that publicly naming a successor would intensify rivalries, escalate hostility, and potentially put the endorsed individual in physical danger.

“In those months, knives were out—politically and, as security professionals know too well, sometimes literally,” Bichi was quoted as saying in the book.

He added that Buhari preferred to endure criticism rather than risk destabilising the party or endangering lives, noting that allowing the primary process to run its course helped spread political risk among aspirants and avoided concentrating hostility on a single individual.

The book presentation, held at the Presidential Villa, attracted a high-profile audience, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Gambian President Adama Barrow, governors, ministers, diplomats, traditional rulers, and members of Buhari’s family.