Garba Shehu’s ‘rat invasion’ claim disgraceful, Buhari should sack him

A civil society organisation, Rescue Nigerian Economy Project, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sack his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu.

A statement on Wednesday by its Executive Secretary, Dennis Alamu-George said Shehu’s comment that rats invaded Buhari’s office while he was on medical vacation was a disgrace and embarrassment to the president and Nigerians.

Shehu in an interview with BBC Pidgin Service on Tuesday said the office was being renovated because rodents damaged it.

“After im no dey for office for about three months, rodents don cause plenty damage for di furniture and air conditioning units wey dey for im office and dis na why e dey work from home for now,” Shehu said.

Reacting, Alamu- George said: “The presidential media aides are doing the president more harm than good.”

“The other day, Femi Adesina said he doesn’t know who is paying for the treatment of the president. That to us is bare-faced lie and we know Adesina himself knew that was a lie”.

“We have always posited that President Buhari doesn’t need a Special Adviser on Media and Publicity and a Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity.

“Their roles are similar and keeping both is a waste of taxpayers money in an economy that has been in recession for almost years”.

“We implore the President to as a matter of urgency fire Garba Shehu for bringing ridicule to the president and Nigerians through that thoughtless statement.

“What he is saying in essence is that the President was prevented from entering his office by rats.

“That is an insult to the number one citizen of this country and we believe it is also an embarrassment to Nigerians in diaspora” the group said.

Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has also reacted to the ‘rats invasion’ claim, describing Buhari’s presidency it as the worse in history.