Garba Shehu, former spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that Buhari once rejected a proposed N10 million food budget for the State House during his presidency.
The disclosure is contained in Shehu’s memoir, ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience’, launched in Abuja on Tuesday.
The book chronicles Shehu’s eight years of service under Buhari, offering a behind-the-scenes look into life and governance at the State House.
According to Shehu, shortly after Buhari assumed office in 2015, officials proposed increasing the food budget — covering the president, vice-president, guest houses, and state banquets — to N10 million.
“When they told him N10 million was needed, he screamed and demanded it be reduced,” Shehu wrote.
“Look at my table, what do I eat? How much does it cost?” Buhari reportedly asked.
Shehu described the president’s meals as “simple” and “healthy.”
“Regarding his simple lifestyle, as president, 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. He ate healthily,” Shehu added.
Shehu also recalled that shortly after taking office in 2015, Buhari was informed by Nebolisa Emodi, then permanent secretary at the State House, that N400 million had been released for the purchase of five customised Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
“The proposal to buy the vehicles had been made at the twilight of President Jonathan’s administration,” Shehu noted.
“But Buhari asked, ‘What is wrong with the cars left behind by the former president?’ and added, ‘They are all right for my use.’”
According to Shehu, Buhari rejected the new vehicles and instead instructed Emodi to reduce operational costs and tighten financial controls at the Villa.
Buhari continued using the vehicles inherited from his predecessor and only opted for replacements after one broke down en route to the airport.
“He instructed that all State House expenses must stay within the approved budget and that reliance on the so-called Presidential Intervention Funds must end,” Shehu stated.
He further disclosed that in the early months of his administration, Buhari dedicated time to meeting with permanent secretaries and heads of agencies to better understand the country’s challenges — a decision that contributed to the delay in ministerial appointments, which drew criticism at the time.
In one anecdote, Shehu recounted that during one of Buhari’s medical trips — when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was acting president — some officials, excluding Osinbajo, approached the late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, regarding a security vote.
“Malam Abba told them that the president kept nothing to that effect,” Shehu wrote, underscoring Buhari’s tight grip on public finances.