Gambari: Buhari Had a Cabal — But Every Government Does

Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has confirmed the existence of a “cabal” in Buhari’s administration but emphasized that such groups exist in every government.

Speaking in an interview with Laolu Akande, former spokesperson to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Gambari said:

> “They say there was a cabal — there was, but every government has one. Some call it a ‘kitchen cabinet’, others call it a ‘think tank’. Obasanjo had his own group. It is the nature of the presidency to have close advisers — people the president can talk to freely, in and out of government.”

In 2018, Aisha Buhari, the president’s wife, publicly criticized the influence of a small group around her husband, claiming they were running the government. Buhari, however, dismissed the concerns.

Earlier this year, Solomon Dalung, a former minister under Buhari, described President Bola Tinubu’s cabal as more dangerous and politically sophisticated than Buhari’s. Dalung noted that Tinubu’s group is “educated, ambitious, and understands power dynamics,” unlike the “less experienced” clique under Buhari.

Despite the controversy surrounding such groups, Gambari insists they are a natural part of governance.