Why Buhari Appointed Me As Minister In 2015 — Lai Mohammed

Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has explained that his appointment by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 was not the result of a single event, but was built on years of trust, shared beliefs, loyalty, and dedicated service.

Mohammed, who served as information minister for nearly eight years under Buhari’s administration, revealed this in his book titled Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration.

The book, which was unveiled in Abuja on December 17, 2025, coincided with what would have been Buhari’s 83rd birthday and documents Mohammed’s experiences while serving under the late President.

Reflecting on the period following Buhari’s inauguration on May 29, 2015, Mohammed noted that the former President took time before announcing his cabinet.

Despite this delay, Mohammed said Buhari’s confidence in him led to his personal appointment to the Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee in April 2015, even after other members of the committee had already been named.

The committee was responsible for engaging with the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to assess handover notes and develop a roadmap for the incoming government.

Mohammed recounted the phone call that preceded his appointment, writing: “‘Hello,’ the voice on the line said. ‘Is this Alhaji Lai Mohammed?’ I answered in the affirmative. ‘Hold on for Mr President,’ the voice said.

“Then another voice, apparently that of the President-elect, came on the line and asked: ‘Lai, where are you?’

“‘Your Excellency, I am in Lagos.’ What are you doing in Lagos?’ he asked.

“I live in Lagos, Your Excellency,’ I replied.

“He then went straight to the reason for the call: ‘Are you not coming for the inaugural meeting of the Transition Committee in Abuja tomorrow?’

“I replied, ‘Your Excellency, I am not a member of the committee.’ He then said, ‘Ok, Tunde (Sabiu, his longtime personal assistant) will call you,’ and he hung up.

“Within the hour, I received a call from Tunde, who asked where he should deliver the letter appointing me to the transition committee,” Mohammed narrated in the book.

He stated that when the committee was initially announced without his name, he did not feel offended or marginalised, but was simply pleased that the party had emerged victorious in the elections.

According to Mohammed, Buhari’s direct appointment marked the start of a close and cordial relationship that endured until the former President’s death on July 13, 2025.

He also recalled that shortly before Buhari’s 100th day in office, a trusted associate of the President asked him to assist the presidential spokesperson ahead of the milestone.

At the time, Buhari had yet to appoint ministers but had already named Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu as his spokespersons.

“I did not need a soothsayer to tell me that the call was a further indication of the President’s confidence in me.

“The same confidant told me on another occasion that if there was anyone the President was very sure would make his cabinet and whose portfolio he was already sure of, that person was me,” he wrote.

Mohammed further explained that his relationship with Buhari dated back to 2012, when he approached him through Mallam Nasir el-Rufai to write the foreword to his first book, Witness to History. Buhari agreed, wrote the foreword, and attended the book’s launch.

He said their next major interaction occurred in the build-up to the 2015 general election, following the merger that formed the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mohammed, who served as opposition spokesperson for the Action Congress of Nigeria and later the APC for more than ten years, said he frequently attended meetings with Buhari in Kaduna alongside his political leader, President Bola Tinubu, and Chief Bisi Akande.

He added that these long-standing engagements, rooted in mutual respect and shared political values, laid the groundwork for the confidence Buhari later placed in him as a minister.

“Serving in Buhari’s administration for nearly eight years allowed me to witness firsthand the former President’s dedication to discipline, integrity, and national service—values that guided my own conduct in office,” Mohammed said.