Abuja, Nigeria — Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has dismissed the popular belief that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari was a man of integrity, describing the narrative as “one of the most dangerous propaganda projects ever sold to the people.”

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Sowore claimed that Buhari’s image as a disciplined and incorruptible leader was “strategically manufactured” to facilitate his return to power in 2015.

“Absolutely not,” he responded when asked if Buhari left behind a legacy of integrity. “The myth of Buhari’s integrity was one of the most dangerous propaganda projects ever sold to the people. For decades, a carefully curated image of a disciplined, incorruptible soldier-statesman was peddled, essentially to justify his return to power in 2015. But the reality, as Nigerians experienced it, was entirely different. Buhari didn’t just fail the integrity test; he also shattered it.”

Sowore alleged that Buhari’s administration turned a blind eye to corruption and even institutionalised it.

“Under his watch, corruption was not only tolerated but institutionalised. Individuals under investigation or with established records of theft and abuse of office found refuge within his cabinet,” he said.

“His government protected some of the most corrupt figures in Nigerian history.”

He went further to label the Buhari-led anti-corruption campaign a charade.

“There was no war. There was no battle, just propaganda. Buhari’s so-called anti-corruption campaign was selective, vindictive, and deeply hypocritical. His friends and cronies were protected. His political enemies were hunted. That’s not a fight against corruption; it was a weaponisation of anti-graft rhetoric.”

According to Sowore, key institutions such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) lost their credibility during Buhari’s time in office.

He cited several scandals that plagued Buhari’s tenure, including:

  • The Maina pension scam

  • Questionable NNPC contract dealings

  • Allegations against the former Attorney General, Abubakar Malami

  • The opaque financial operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria under Godwin Emefiele

“The CBN’s shady operations were swept under the rug until Buhari left office. He enabled corruption on a scale so vast that it will take generations to fully trace,” Sowore said.

He concluded by asserting that Buhari fertilised, rather than fought, corruption.

“So no, he didn’t fight corruption. He fertilised it.”

Sowore urged Nigerians to resist any attempt to revise history or romanticize Buhari’s leadership, warning that such narratives distort the truth and undermine accountability.