Garba Shehu, former presidential spokesperson, has revealed that the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari approved the removal of Hadiza Bala Usman as managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) despite their close personal relationship, acting on the recommendation of Rotimi Amaechi, then minister of transportation.
The NPA fell under Amaechi’s supervision during his time in office between 2015 and 2022.
Amaechi had advised Buhari to suspend Bala Usman over allegations that the NPA, under her leadership, failed to remit an operating surplus of N165 billion to the federal government.
However, Bala Usman — who currently serves as special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on policy and coordination — was later cleared of the allegations by an administrative panel of inquiry established to probe the matter.
In her book, “Stepping on Toes: My Odyssey at the Nigerian Ports Authority”, the former NPA managing director detailed the circumstances surrounding her removal, stating that Amaechi wanted her out because “two of the most important contracts in the authority were due for renewal”.
She further accused the former transportation minister of seeking “an extension of tenure of the companies providing capital dredging services without due process”.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday while discussing his own book, “According to the President”, Shehu said Buhari acted strictly on institutional advice, regardless of personal ties.
The book explores Buhari’s leadership approach, governance style, and policy direction during his time in office.
“See what happened with Hadiza Bala Usman and Governor Amaechi. Hadiza was to Buhari like a daughter. And they had an ongoing disagreement with the minister, and the minister wrote to say, ‘Mr. President, I recommend that she should be suspended from office’,” Shehu said.
According to him, resistance initially came from within the presidency.
“When the president looked at the thing, the chief of staff came to him and said, ‘President, we can’t do this’. Buhari looked at the chief of staff and said, ’This is my approval. Go and carry it out because the minister is her supervising boss and he has determined that she’s not worthy of that office she’s keeping’.
“Hadiza Bala was asked to go. That’s the kind of person Buhari was. He was completely detached as to personal interest.”
(The CABLE)
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