President Muhammadu Buhari has dissociated himself from the activities of a pro-government advocacy group, #IStandWithBuhari.
In a statement signed by a presidential spokesman on Friday, Garba Shehu, the presidency said it has no connection with the group and called on it to stop “claiming any alliance with the Buhari Administration.”
“The Presidency also demands that the persons behind the controversial #Istandwithbuhari group should stop using President Muhammadu Buhari’s name and that of his wife, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari to promote themselves and their activities,” the Shehu said.
#IStandWithBuhari, however, in a message posted on its website said its activities were aimed at “ensuring economic growth, security, improvement in public health, citizens enlightenment and education, social justice with a corresponding increase in the quality of life of the nation.”
“As a non-governmental agency that serves the greater interest of the Nigerian public and other relevant agencies of government and private concern, we placed so much importance on our service profile and staff quality.”
Shehu said it was imperative for the Presidency to distance itself from the group because “its premature and ostentatious celebration of the present administration’s achievements is totally inconsistent with President Buhari’s philosophy of service with humility.”
“While the present administration has indeed recorded significant successes in its priority areas of improving security across the nation, ending the Boko Haram insurgency, curbing official corruption and revamping Nigeria’s economy, President Buhari is well aware that his government still has a lot of national challenges to overcome.
He said the President prefers to give his fullest attention to addressing those challenges without the unsolicited and unwelcome distraction of “praise-singing from groups with dubious and questionable motives.”
