EXCLUSIVE: Buhari Media Team Implodes, WhatsApp Group Disbanded Over Internal Wrangling, Anti-Tinubu Sentiments

The WhatsApp group of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s media team has been quietly dissolved following internal wrangling fueled by rising anti-Tinubu sentiments—especially from former presidential aide Lauretta Onochie—and deepening factional tensions among members.

The now-defunct team, which Garba Shehu—former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to former President Buhari—had kept running after the end of Buhari’s presidency, was eventually disbanded following months of internal conflict.

Details of the internal wrangling on the “PMB Media Team” WhatsApp group were exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters.

According to multiple insider sources, the group had grown increasingly toxic, with several northern members—alongside Onochie from the South-South—allegedly pushing negative narratives against President Bola Tinubu after being overlooked for government appointments.

“This whole thing turned messy when certain people who were expecting appointments in the new administration didn’t get anything,” one insider told SaharaReporters.

“Lauretta Onochie especially became openly antagonistic—sharing fake news, attacking key appointees, and even promoting discredited narratives from people like one Mahdi Shehu on X (Twitter). It was embarrassing.”

Onochie, who once served as Personal Assistant to Buhari on Social Media and later as Chairperson of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), fell out with members who had either aligned with the Tinubu administration or secured roles within it, such as Ayobami Oyalowo and Tope Ajayi.

The latter, who was once degraded within Buhari’s media team, is now Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity.

“The Buhari Media Team was supposed to transition to serve the Tinubu media infrastructure. Many thought someone among them would be appointed government spokesperson,” said another member.

“But when that didn’t happen and when Tope Ajayi got the role, the bitterness escalated.”

Sources told SaharaReporters that Onochie, who had initially supported former Senate President Ahmad Lawan during the All Progressives Congress’ presidential primary elections, only backed Tinubu after former First Lady Aisha Buhari intervened.

“That woman is a case,” another source said bluntly. “She started sharing those fake Burkina Faso Traore propaganda videos, even after we pointed her to the fact-checks. She never listened. Her grudge seems to have gotten worse when the PDP structure in Delta joined the APC. Some say her beef is rooted in state-level politics,” one of the sources said.

It was also gathered that Hon. Sadiq, an Executive Director at one of the River Basin Development Authorities and a close ally of APC chieftain James Faleke, had attempted to revive Onochie’s political standing following her unsuccessful tenure at the NDDC.

“He later backed out because her antics became too much,” a source noted.

The final straw, insiders believe, was the fear that the group’s escalating internal disputes and inflammatory content could reflect poorly on both Garba Shehu and former President Buhari, especially with the growing calls for unity within the ruling APC.

“Shehu just shut the group down. Everyone was removed,” the insider said. “I think he didn’t want to be linked to anything that could be seen as divisive or toxic. After all, he still speaks for PMB.”

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