Kperogi Issues Public Apology to Aisha Buhari Over Marriage Rumour

Farooq Kperogi, a prominent columnist and public affairs analyst, has issued an unreserved apology to Nigeria’s former First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, following the widespread fallout from a social media post he made on July 16.

In the statement published Sunday, Kperogi described his Facebook post alleging marital challenges involving the former First Lady as one of the most regrettable lapses in his career. He admitted he failed to anticipate the “profoundly painful consequences” for Mrs. Buhari and her family.

Kperogi acknowledged that while his source maintained the information’s accuracy, sharing it publicly was a grave mistake. “Not every well-sourced information is for public consumption,” he wrote, stressing that the decision to go public was entirely his own—and one he now deeply regrets.

He also referenced Alhaji Sani Zorro, the former Senior Special Assistant to the First Lady on Public Affairs, who personally conveyed Mrs. Buhari’s denial and reaffirmed the intact status of her marriage. Citing the words of late Nigerian business magnate MKO Abiola, Kperogi conceded that no one but Mrs. Buhari herself has the authority to speak on her personal affairs.

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Kperogi emphasized that the accuracy of the rumor was now far less important than the “needless and deeply regrettable hurt” it caused. “Doing so violated every moral and ethical principle I cherish and uphold,” he admitted. He insisted his actions were not motivated by malice or external influence, but described himself as an “imperfect human.”

He concluded his statement with a direct apology: “To Mrs. Aisha Buhari, I offer my heartfelt and unreserved apology for the needless and deeply regrettable hurt I have caused. I am truly sorry.”

This apology comes after days of public debate and private appeals for restraint in reporting on the personal lives of public figures.