By Muhammad Mamman
Former First Lady Aisha Buhari has recounted the tense and emotional period surrounding the illness of her husband, former President Muhammadu Buhari, revealing how she was accused of attempting to harm him when his health deteriorated in 2017.
Speaking in a recent account shared by PoliticsNG, Mrs Buhari said the former president’s illness marked one of the most difficult moments of their lives, both medically and politically. According to her, confusion and suspicion trailed efforts to manage his condition, with some individuals alleging that she wanted him dead.
“They said I wanted to kill him,” she recalled, describing how the claims deeply affected her and compounded the stress of caring for a critically ill spouse under intense public scrutiny.
The former First Lady explained that Buhari’s condition worsened during his first term in office, eventually necessitating prolonged medical treatment abroad. His extended absence from Nigeria at the time sparked widespread speculation and political tension, as concerns grew over governance and leadership continuity.
Mrs Buhari noted that, rather than receiving support, she found herself battling rumours and hostility, even as she focused on ensuring that her husband received proper medical care. She suggested that entrenched interests and power struggles within the system contributed to the mistrust and accusations directed at her.
Buhari eventually recovered sufficiently to resume office and complete his tenure, but the episode remains one of the most controversial chapters of his presidency. Aisha Buhari’s remarks have reopened public discussion about the handling of the former president’s health, the pressures faced by first families, and the opaque nature of power during moments of national uncertainty.
Her account offers a rare personal insight into the human cost of high office, shedding light on how illness at the top of government can trigger not only political anxiety, but also personal trauma for those closest to power.
