By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
A new biography on former President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed why he deliberately refused to publicly endorse a preferred successor ahead of the 2022 All Progressives Congress presidential primary.
The book, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, explains that the former president’s decision was guided by security intelligence and a desire to prevent internal disintegration within the ruling party.
The 600-page biography was written by Dr Charles Omole, Director General of the Institute for Police and Security Policy Research, and was presented in Abuja on Monday.
At the presentation, former Director General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, offered fresh insight into Buhari’s thinking during the tense succession period.
According to Bichi, Buhari consciously avoided endorsing any aspirant because such an action could have put the individual’s life at risk and deepened factional hostilities within the APC.
He said Buhari’s silence was often misinterpreted as aloofness, but it was in fact a deliberate security decision based on intelligence assessments at the time.
“In those months, knives were out; politically and, as security professionals know too well, sometimes literally,” Bichi said.
“To name an anointed heir would be to paint a target on a human being and to foreclose a process that, for all its imperfections, was designed to distribute risk.”
Bichi added that Buhari chose to absorb criticism rather than compromise safety and party stability.
“Buhari chose silence, and in doing so, absorbed the criticism that he was aloof. He was not. He was shielding a life and preserving a fragile equilibrium inside a party whose factions could as easily burn down the house as surrender the nomination they coveted,” he said.
He stressed that the former president placed a higher premium on protecting lives and maintaining stability than on managing public perception.
The book also sheds light on Buhari’s refusal to reverse the decision taken by then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to remove Lawal Daura as Director General of the DSS while Buhari was abroad on medical leave.
According to Bichi, Buhari believed that overturning the decision would weaken institutional authority and undermine the office of the acting president.
“Having lawfully delegated authority to his Vice President, Buhari considered any attempt to countermand that decision as injurious to institutional stability,” he said.
“He viewed any reversal as an insult to his vice and a disruption of the chain of command.”
Bichi further disclosed that Buhari consistently resisted political pressure and refused to personalise governance, even when close allies were affected.
“One of the earliest tests of Buhari’s restraint came during the removal of Lawal Daura as DG DSS,” he said.
“Pressure followed for a presidential reversal. Buhari refused to interfere.”
Describing Buhari’s leadership style, the former DSS chief said the ex-president valued discipline, professionalism and evidence over political drama.
He noted that Buhari often challenged security briefings by asking, “Where is your proof?” and declined to act on rumours or unverified intelligence.
According to him, this approach strengthened professionalism within the security agencies and reinforced Buhari’s belief that public office is a trust, not a personal privilege.
The book presentation, held at the Presidential Villa, was attended by President Bola Tinubu, Gambian President Adama Barrow, governors, ministers, diplomats, traditional rulers and members of Buhari’s family.