“This Is My House”: Aisha Buhari Reveals How She Fought Cabal’s Attempt to Evict Her from the Villa

Former First Lady, Dr. Aisha Buhari, has revealed that she fought off a determined effort by a powerful cabal to push her and her children out of the Presidential Villa. In stark new disclosures, she detailed how this group, comprising relatives and old friends of former President Muhammadu Buhari, capitalized on his personal attachments to manipulate his administration.

These revelations are contained in a new biography, “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari,” authored by Dr. Charles Omole. The book was launched at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, with President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu in attendance.

“This Is My House”
According to the book, Aisha Buhari described the Villa as an “ecosystem” that was quickly filled with relatives, their families, and courtiers who sought control. “They tried to push everybody out, including me,” she is quoted as saying. She stood firm, asserting her boundaries: “This is my house. You can live wherever you like, but you cannot be in charge of my husband’s office and then also be in charge of me, his wife, inside my house.”

Exploitation of Buhari’s Weaknesses
The biography explains that Buhari’s fondness for his extended family and old friends made him vulnerable. “Those who knew his weaknesses exploited them to the detriment of the lofty goals of his administration,” it states. Aisha noted that people with no official roles began influencing access to the Villa, while loyal allies from the opposition years were suddenly “locked out.”

Critique of Leadership and a Warning to Tinubu
Aisha Buhari offered her sharpest critique on what she called a major flaw of her husband’s administration: the failure to decisively remove non-performing officials. She warned President Bola Tinubu not to repeat the same mistake.

She argued that a mix of Buhari’s advancing age, fear of being labeled a dictator again, and emotional manipulation by aides created a “shield for mediocrity.” Buhari reportedly hesitated, saying, “If I remove him, they will say I am this and that.”

Aisha’s Rule and a Family Admission
Aisha outlined her own pragmatic rule: if an appointee “eats” (a colloquialism for profiting) but delivers at least 50% performance, tolerate him; if he “eats” and does nothing, remove him. The family privately agreed that Buhari’s refusal to sack underperformers became a “structural flaw” of his government, worsened by advisers who used flattery and emotional pressure to block accountability.

A Final Stand and Emotional Dependence
The book recounts an episode where security officials suggested she leave Abuja to allow investigations into certain associates to proceed. She refused. Shortly after, Buhari reportedly withdrew emotionally. Even after leaving office, Buhari allegedly asked President Tinubu not to probe some of his kinsmen because he still relied on them personally.

For Aisha Buhari, this demonstrated the profound “danger of emotional dependence at the top of power.”