Aisha Buhari, widow of former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, has publicly refuted claims that she was no longer married to the late president before his death.
This clarification comes days after U.S.-based Nigerian professor Farooq Kperogi alleged that Aisha had dropped the Buhari surname and reverted to her maiden name, Halilu.
Reacting to the claim, Aisha, through her former aide, Alhaji Sani Zorro, insisted that her marriage remained intact until her husband’s passing. Zorro dismissed the allegations, stating that the First Lady’s marital status was never in question.
Kperogi, who initially claimed on Facebook, issued a formal apology on Sunday, July 20, describing his post as one of the “worst and cruelest lapses of judgment” in his life. He admitted that, although his source was reliable, the information was never intended for public consumption.
“I absolutely should have foreseen the profoundly painful consequences… I am truly sorry,” he wrote, acknowledging Aisha’s right to define the truth about her own marriage.
The incident has stirred widespread reactions online, sparking conversations about journalistic responsibility, privacy, and the legacy of the late President Buhari, who passed away in the UK in 2024 after a prolonged illness.
