Renowned columnist and political commentator, Dr. Farooq Kperogi, has publicly apologised to former First Lady, Mrs. A’isha Buhari, for what he described as a grave lapse in judgment over a Facebook post he made on July 16, which speculated on the state of her marriage and a supposed request for national forgiveness on behalf of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a deeply personal statement, titled: ‘Apology to A’isha Buhari’, Kperogi expressed profound regret for the distress his post caused the former First Lady and those close to her, calling the incident “one of the worst and cruelest lapses of judgment” of his life.
Kperogi clarified that although the information he shared came from a source he described as having “unimpeachable integrity”, it was never meant for public disclosure. “Going public with the information was an error on my part”, he admitted, adding that not all verified information is suitable for publication.
He also acknowledged being contacted by the former Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the First Lady, Sani Zorro, whom he said questioned the accuracy of the claims and conveyed Mrs. Buhari’s position that her marriage remained intact until her husband’s passing. Kperogi did not contest this, stating that the former First Lady’s account “should be respected as supreme”.
While maintaining that he acted without malice or any hidden agenda, Kperogi conceded that his actions had violated the moral and ethical standards he holds dear. “I am only human, an imperfect human,” he wrote, offering Mrs. Buhari a “heartfelt and unreserved apology” for the pain his comments caused.
The apology comes amid public debate surrounding the legacy of President Buhari and renewed scrutiny of his family’s private affairs, underscoring the ongoing tensions between freedom of expression and personal privacy in Nigerian public life.
