Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has revealed that his appointment into the cabinet of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 was the culmination of years of trust, loyalty, shared convictions and dedicated service, rather than a sudden decision.
Mohammed made this disclosure in his book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration, which was launched in Abuja on December 17, 2025, to coincide with what would have been Buhari’s 83rd birthday. The book chronicles his nearly eight-year experience as a minister under the Buhari administration.
According to Mohammed, following Buhari’s inauguration on May 29, 2015, the President took time before constituting his cabinet. However, Buhari’s confidence in him was evident when he personally appointed him to the Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee in April 2015, despite the committee already being constituted. The committee was tasked with liaising with the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and preparing a transition blueprint for the incoming government.
Mohammed narrated a personal telephone conversation with Buhari, during which the President questioned his absence from the committee’s inaugural meeting. Within hours of that call, he received an official letter appointing him to the transition team.
He noted that even when his name was initially omitted from the committee, he felt no resentment, but was simply grateful for their electoral victory. He described Buhari’s action as the beginning of a cordial and special relationship that lasted until the former President’s death on July 13, 2025.
Mohammed also recalled being invited to assist the President’s media team ahead of Buhari’s 100 days in office, a move he interpreted as further proof of trust. He traced his relationship with Buhari back to 2012 and highlighted years of political collaboration, shared ideals and mutual respect, which ultimately formed the foundation for his ministerial appointment.
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