How Two Buhari Media Aides “Married One Wife” Without a Fight

By Elisha 

The recent launch of Mallam Garba Shehu’s memoir According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience turned into a rare political gathering where allies and opponents rubbed shoulders.

Although President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was away on foreign duty, he was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume. In a display of Nigeria’s complex political alliances, notable opposition figures were also in attendance — including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola. Interestingly, Aregbesola, known for his fiery speeches, avoided the microphone despite encouragement from event co-chair Prince Nduka Obaigbena.

The audience featured key players who shaped the political landscape that brought Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015. Among them were Senator Olurunnimbe Mamora, ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and even former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon.

In his book, Garba Shehu recounts his humble beginnings — the son of a driver who rose to prominence through discipline and professionalism. He revealed that his media career, shaped by years of journalistic excellence and political strategy, was built on relationships rooted in loyalty.

One such relationship was with Atiku Abubakar, his first major political principal. Remarkably, despite serving as Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media for eight years, Shehu never publicly attacked Atiku, even during tense election seasons. Instead, the task of countering Atiku’s political moves was left to Femi Adesina, Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media.

Both Shehu and Adesina were seasoned journalists before joining the presidency, a situation that could have bred rivalry. Yet, as Shehu disclosed, it was Kayode Fayemi who set the tone for peace. Upon their appointments, Fayemi invited both men to his hotel suite and offered them a unique piece of advice: “Work together like two men married to one wife.”

For the entire eight years of Buhari’s presidency, the two media aides managed to share the “same wife” — the president’s public image — without public quarrels or power struggles. Their unusual harmony became a rare example in a political environment often defined by ego and infighting.

Public Opinion

Following the event, social media users expressed mixed views:

@NaijaPoliticsHub: “This is what maturity in politics looks like. Not every position should be a battlefield.”

@VoiceOfTheStreetsNG: “Interesting story, but we need more transparency in government communications, not just loyalty to one man.”

@ToluSpeaks: “Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina may have avoided fights, but Nigerians still feel the media under Buhari didn’t tell the whole truth.”

@PolicyMattersNG: “Eight years of peace between spokesmen is rare. This should be studied for political communication strategies.”

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