Book Launch: El-Rufai Warns Against Rewriting Buhari’s Legacy
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has called on Nigerians to allow late President Muhammadu Buhari rest in peace, warning against what he described as selective storytelling and opportunistic attempts to reshape the former leader’s legacy.
In a statement titled “Let President Muhammadu Buhari Rest in Peace,” dated December 17, 2025, and issued from Cairo, Egypt, El-Rufai expressed concern over the recent launch of a book on Buhari’s life, saying the event had reopened old divisions among those who once worked closely with the late president.
According to El-Rufai, the composition of attendees at the book launch reflected long-standing factional lines from Buhari’s lifetime, with some close associates excluded from the event.
“A careful look at those who dominated the book launch revealed the same factional lines that existed during Buhari’s lifetime,” he said, adding that “this selective engagement, compounded by the choice of location of the event, were red flags.”
He further accused some long-time critics of the late president now occupying senior positions in government, of delivering what he termed “clearly faked tributes,” despite previously holding Buhari responsible for Nigeria’s challenges.
“These are individuals who once blamed his administration for nearly every challenge facing Nigeria, but who now appear eager to revise history—perhaps to deflect responsibility for present failures,” El-Rufai stated.
The former governor also criticised what he described as one-sided revelations attributed to Buhari in the newly launched book, noting that the late president was no longer alive to respond.
“Explaining the thoughts and motivations of a complex leader through selective anecdotes risks distorting, rather than preserving, his legacy,” he warned.
While acknowledging that Buhari was not without flaws, El-Rufai said many of the shortcomings of his administration were the result of failures within a powerful inner circle rather than the late president himself.
“As someone who worked closely with him in opposition political and governance roles for over a decade, I believe much of his administration’s shortcomings stemmed from the actions and failures of a powerful inner circle,” he said.
El-Rufai described Buhari as a man of deep faith, discipline, and patriotism, urging those now invoking his name to reflect on whether they upheld similar values.
“My appeal here is simple: to all Nigerians—admirers and critics alike, let President Muhammadu Buhari rest in peace.
“Let history judge him fairly, without opportunism or revisionism.”
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
