Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has explained that his appointment by ex-President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 was the outcome of long-standing trust, shared principles, loyalty, and years of service, rather than a one-off decision.
Mohammed, who served for nearly eight years in Buhari’s administration, revealed this in his book Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration. The book was unveiled in Abuja on December 17, 2025, to mark what would have been Buhari’s 83rd birthday.
Reflecting on events following Buhari’s inauguration on May 29, 2015, Mohammed noted that the former president took time before announcing his cabinet. However, due to the confidence Buhari had in him, he was personally appointed in April 2015 to the Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee, even after other members had already been named.
The committee was responsible for interfacing with the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, reviewing handover notes, and preparing a roadmap for the incoming government.
Mohammed recounted a phone call that led to his appointment, narrating how Buhari personally questioned his absence from the committee’s inaugural meeting, despite his not being formally listed as a member. Shortly after the call, Buhari’s longtime aide, Tunde Sabiu, contacted him to arrange the delivery of his appointment letter.
He explained that when the committee was initially announced without his name, he felt no resentment, but was simply pleased that the party had won the election.
According to Mohammed, this personal appointment marked the start of a close working relationship with Buhari that lasted until the former president’s death on July 13, 2025.
He also recalled that shortly before Buhari’s 100 days in office, one of the president’s close associates asked him to assist the presidential spokesmen—Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu—despite ministers not yet being appointed.
Mohammed said this further reinforced Buhari’s confidence in him, noting that he was later informed that Buhari was already certain both of his inclusion in the cabinet and his ministerial portfolio.
Tracing their relationship further back, Mohammed said it began in 2012 when, through Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, he asked Buhari to write the foreword to his book Witness to History. Buhari agreed and also attended the book launch.
Their interactions deepened during the build-up to the 2015 general elections after the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Mohammed, a longtime opposition spokesman for the ACN and later the APC, said he frequently attended strategy meetings with Buhari in Kaduna alongside President Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande.
He concluded that these years of close engagement, shared political values, and mutual respect laid the foundation for the trust Buhari later placed in him as a minister.
“Serving in Buhari’s government for almost eight years gave me the opportunity to witness his commitment to discipline, integrity, and service to the nation—principles that also guided my conduct in office,” Mohammed said.