The Presidency on Sunday said President Muhammadu Buhari was not under any undue influence and manipulation in the discharge of his duties.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja.
He was reacting to the lead story of The SUNDAY PUNCH titled, “Buhari’s return: Aso Villa cabal stages a comeback, sidelines Osinbajo.”
Shehu said it was not also correct that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had been sidelined with the return of the President, saying he (Osinbajo) remains Buhari’s closest adviser.
He said, “Quite to the contrary, the Vice-President remains the confidant and the closest adviser to the President.
“He has attended all the President’s engagements all through the week with the exception of two: one, the VP was away to Taraba State and two, the Juma’at Muslim prayer because he is a Christian.
“…As someone who works very closely with President Buhari, I can testify to how my years of experience as a newspaper editor are often put to the test by the sheer thoroughness with which the President edits every single document brought to his desk.”
Shehu admitted that Buhari could not do everything alone, hence the need for trusted and close officials who will be willing to offend others in the process of ensuring his own safety and wellbeing, and the advancement of his vision for Nigeria.
Specifically on the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, the presidential spokesman said “anybody who occupies such office has impeccable credentials of total loyalty to the President.”
He said some people erroneously considered this oversight role as the usurpation of the President’s powers.
