You are No Longer Running for Public Office, So Stop Lying – Odinkalu Tells Buhari

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has come under criticism from human rights lawyer and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, over his recent comments on his financial status. Buhari, speaking at an All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus meeting in Katsina State ahead of the local council elections, claimed that after eight years in office, he and his family now rely on rent from one of his two houses in Kaduna for their feeding expenses.

Buhari insisted that he did not corruptly enrich himself while serving as president, emphasizing that Nigeria is a complex country to govern. Addressing the gathering in Hausa, he stated that many Nigerians do not understand the challenges of leadership and are quick to blame those in power. He also remarked that he looks healthier now than he did while in office.

Odinkalu, however, dismissed Buhari’s statements, calling them misleading. In a post on his X account, he urged the former president to stop making questionable claims about his wealth, noting that Buhari is no longer seeking public office and does not need to present himself as a “Messiah.”

“Someone should please tell Muhammadu Buhari that he is no longer running for the office of Messiah, therefore, no longer has any need to keep lying about his earthly acquisitions,” Odinkalu wrote.