Garba Shehu Announces Memoir “According to the President” Ahead of July 9 Launch
Former presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu has announced the upcoming launch of his new book titled According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience, scheduled for release on July 9, 2025.
The book captures Shehu’s experience during his eight-year tenure as Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking in Abuja, Shehu clarified that the book is not a personal biography but a professional account intended to serve as a guide for students of journalism, public relations, and political communication.
He said it also documents the communication strategy and key policy decisions of the Buhari administration.
According to Shehu, the book outlines major achievements under President Buhari, including the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the Bank Verification Number (BVN), the National Identity Number (NIN), and tax reforms aimed at improving public financial systems. He emphasized that these policies were critical to improving governance, even if they lacked popular praise during their implementation.
Shehu described Buhari as “perhaps the most aware president Nigeria has ever had,” revealing that the former president regularly read newspapers and monitored media commentary before receiving briefings from aides.
He said Buhari’s deep media awareness contradicted the public perception of him as disengaged.
Responding to criticisms that Buhari was a slow or indifferent leader, Shehu defended his former boss, stating that the former president deliberately adopted a democratic leadership style to respect process and institutions. He said Buhari’s transition from a military head of state to a civilian leader was marked by intentional restraint.
Shehu also stated that Buhari left office without amassing personal wealth, insisting that he maintained his integrity and refused bribes while in office and afterward.
Amid claims that Buhari’s government deliberately removed fuel subsidies to sabotage the administration of President Bola Tinubu, Shehu denied any such intention.
He said the decision to remove subsidies was made transparently and in the national interest, not as a political trap for the incoming government.
Addressing concerns about his shift from working with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to joining Buhari’s camp, Shehu said his decision was based on the outcome of the 2014 APC presidential primaries.
He noted that media aides of all candidates were merged into Buhari’s campaign team, and that continuing to attack Atiku after the primaries would have undermined the trust placed in him.
The official launch of the book is expected to attract political figures, journalists, academics, and members of the public. Observers say it may offer valuable insights into the inner workings of the Buhari presidency and the role of media in shaping public perception.
