Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Buhari govt had cabal like other past administrations, says ex-chief of staff Gambari

Mr Gambari stated, “But every government has a cabal. It is what they call them.’’

• July 18, 2025
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari

Ibrahim Gambari, former chief of staff to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has said the latter’s administration had cabal  like other past governments.

Mr Gambari, a seasoned diplomat, disclosed this on Laolu Akande’s Inside Source TV show.

Asked if there was a cabal in the government of Mr Buhari, Mr Gambari said, “That’s a very good question. I will address it honestly and on record. They say there was a cabal. There was.”


He, however, didn’t mention names of members of the cabal. 

Mr Gambari stated, “But every government has a cabal. It is what they call them. They call it a kitchen cabinet; some may call it a think tank. It is the nature of the office of the president that they must have some people in and out of government that they can talk to freely. Some have more power than others. But every government, I make bold to say, has a cabal of one kind or whatever name it is called.’’


Mr Gambari was tapped for the top job by the late president after the demise of first chief of staff, Abba Kyari. The disclosure came after Buhari’s death on Sunday in a clinic in London, United Kingdom. 

The late Buhari was a former military dictator and two-term democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023.  

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