By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Legit.ng
Published on 2024-01-22 17:23:31
Femi Adesina, the former media and publicity spokesperson to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, recently revealed that Buhari was not in Nigeria when President Bola Tinubu made the “Emi Lokan” speech during the 2023 presidential campaign. The speech was made during a meeting with All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates in Ogun state, according to a report by New Telegraph.
Adesina explained that Buhari was in Spain for an event at the time, and that they briefed the former President on their return to Nigeria to prevent different versions and interpretations of the event. This revelation is contained in Adesina’s new book, “Working with Buhari: Reflections of A Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023).”
Tinubu’s remarks about Buhari during the meeting included the statement that without Tinubu, Buhari would never have been President, and that it was now his own turn to rule. This prompted Adesina and other presidential aides to brief Buhari during their return flight to Nigeria. They were concerned about the different versions and interpretations that might arise from the speech.
According to Adesina, President Buhari responded to the briefing by saying, “Asiwaju said all that? Thank you for coming to brief me.” The next day, President Buhari held a scheduled meeting with all APC presidential aspirants at the Villa, but reportedly did not mention anything about the “Emi Lokan” speech.
In another event, Adesina also disclosed that the former First Lady, Aisha, had informed him that Buhari was not terminally sick as alleged. She explained that when they visited Buhari in London, United Kingdom on August 12, 2017, all Buhari needed was rest because he was stressed and overworked.
These revelations provide a rare insight into the behind-the-scenes dealings and reactions of Buhari and his team to significant public statements and events. Adesina’s new book serves as an important documentation of his experiences and interactions while working closely with the former President.
