Former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, has revealed that ex-president Muhammadu Buhari was shocked when informed of a proposed N10 million food budget for the State House.
Shehu disclosed this in his memoir, According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience, which was launched in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to him, the former president was briefed upon assuming office in 2015 that the food budget, covering meals for the president, vice-president, guest houses, and official banquets, needed to be raised to N10 million.
Shehu said Buhari rejected the figure outright and called for a drastic reduction.
His words: “When they told him N10 million was needed, he screamed and demanded it be reduced. ‘Look at my table, what do I eat? How much does it cost?’”
The former presidential aide said Buhari maintained a frugal and health-conscious diet throughout his tenure.
“Most of the things he ate were very basic food that is recognisable and associated with and consumed by the lower strata of the Nigerian society — tuwo (dough-like dishes made from grains), pap, akara (bean cake), beans, wheat, plenty of salads, poultry and mutton,” Shehu added.