Buhari ‘ll decide on 2019 later, says Adesina

…Spokesperson confirms chat with the President

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NIGERIA: THE Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, has said that his boss is a straightforward person.

Adesina said that Buhari would later decide if he would contest the 2019 or not, but maintained that as at now the President was resting in London, United Kingdom.

The Special Adviser made the disclosure while featuring on the Sweet FM 107.1 FM programme, Podium, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

“Knowing our president to be a very straightforward person, if he takes that decision (contesting in 2019), he will communicate it to Nigerians,” Adesina said, adding that “the president told me he just needed to rest further.”

He stressed: “A man decides where he wants to rest.  Former President Musa Yar’Adua chose to rest at Obudu Cattle Ranch.  Victor Mark, you might choose to go on leave anywhere too.”

The presidential spokesperson explained that Buhari thanked him for holding forth against mischief makers.

“He was not referring to Nigerians, but those who are twisting facts to suit themselves,” Adesina said, adding that he had not spoken to the President since he left for London before he called him over the phone.

“I know if they told him (Buhari) that I was on the other phone he would talk to me.  I didn’t need any validation even in the heat of the misinformation and disinformation that he was dead.  We, his personal aides, are like a small community of friends,” he further explained.

He also said that “that day I called his personal physician and he told me it was all rubbish and that there was no truth in it.  I spoke with them (other aides) everyday but I didn’t speak directly with the president before he called me.”

“The conversation with President Trump was transmitted to me and I issued the statement,” he stressed.

He denied allegation that Buhari’s choice of London for his treatment showed that he does not believe in the country’s health sector.

According to him, no law was against the London trip and that Buhari reserved the right to choose where to seek medical attention.

“Even medical doctors themselves go abroad for medical attention,” Adesina said, adding “You have to be alive first before you begin to talk about things like that.”

He further said that “it is a different thing if one, we have a law against it or if two, we have all the things we need.  People always refer to Fidel Castro of Cuba. “Throughout his illness, he never stepped out of Cuba, but we all know that medical attention in Cuba and the medical doctors themselves are among the best in the world because that country had invested in that sector over the years. The same cannot be said of Nigeria.”

He further explained that “we know how our institutions are in this country.  There is no need for any radicalism in that area that you must get treated at home.  What if the facilities at home cannot handle what is happening?  What do you do?”

“We have always said that Mr. President before he became President has always had his medical checkup once a year abroad.  Those are the doctors that know his medical history.  He said he was going for vacation and that during his vacation I (Buhari) will also do medical checkups.  There is nothing wrong with it,” he maintained.

He also declared that request by some Nigerians that Buhari should speak to Nigerians via a video remains the decision of the President.

His words: “No one can force it down his throat.  If he wants to do it, all well and good, but if he feels this is the way I (Buhari) wants to communicate with Nigerians, all well and good.

“There are many forms of communication.  There is verbal communication.  There is non-verbal communication.  There is written communication.  There is visual communication.  We all know the one the President has been using for now has been written communication because there has been press releases. There has been verbal communication because he has also talked with many people including myself.”

Adesina, however, said that no date has been fixed yet on Buhari’s return to the country, but stressed that “what the president said was that he needed to rest a little bit more.”

“When the president fixes a date to return, then that date will be communicated,” he further said.

On xenophobic attacks on some Nigerians in South Africa, Adesina said that the issue would be handled diplomatically and that the ambassador, Foreign Affairs Ministry, the National Assembly and the Presidency were handling the situation.

“The situation in South Africa is regrettable.  It is unfortunate, but it is being handled diplomatically.  The Foreign Affairs minister has been on top of it and even the National Assembly has wade in.  I think it should be handled at that level. We all know that we cannot send troops into South Africa,” the presidential spokesperson said.

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