Two days after paying a visit to
President Muhammadu Buhari in London, the Special Adviser to the President on
Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, has said he does not know who is paying
for the President’s treatment.
Mr. Adesina said this on Monday
when he made an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, during
which he shared his thoughts and feelings about meeting his boss for the first
time in more than three months.
“I do not know who is paying (for his treatment), but as a President, he has a right to be treated by the country,” he said when asked who was footing the President’s bill.
He added that even though he
doesn’t know for sure, the country was most likely paying for his treatment.
Mr. Adesina and members of the
President’s media team along with the Special Adviser on the Diaspora, Abike
Dabiri-Erewa, had visited their boss in London on Saturday.
Photos and a video footage from
the visit, which went viral, have not ended the controversy over the President’s
long absence with some people insisting that many questions are still
unanswered about his health status and his ability to assume his duties.
While the President’s spokesman
was unsure of his return date, he said the President was “like his old self”.
“The President I saw was sharp, he was smart, he was lucid. The President I saw was like his old self, almost completely mended. But then, like we said in the statement we issued which is what he said to us in the first place, he would come when his doctors say it’s time to go,” he said.
Asked if he felt the President
appeared fit enough to travel back to Nigeria, Adesina said, “If you know the
President, at the peak of his performance – when he first assumed the
Presidency and we went to different parts of the world, you will know that he
is a man of tremendous energy and tremendous ability.
“If a man was ill and he has
mended, that means he is restored. He can do what he used to do and possibly
even more.”
Some have said that since the
President is strong enough to receive visitors, his doctors should follow him
back to Nigeria and monitor his progress, but Adesina disagrees.
He said those wondering why the
President’s doctors haven’t done that are only expressing their opinion.
“Their opinions do not necessarily translate to the gospel truth. It’s just an opinion,” he said.
One other aspect of the
President’s medical vacation that has generated controversy is the decision to
keep the Presidential Aircraft, NAF 001, in London since May 7 when the President
flew there.
The controversy had emanated from
the realisation that taxpayers’ funds will be spent on parking fees.
The Presidency had in a statement
late June defended the move, saying the country was expected to get a discount
on the payments.
Adesina, who confirmed that the
aircraft was still in London, maintained the same position on Monday.
“That is still the position. When the President of a country is away, his plane should be there,” he said, adding that he didn’t know how much the country is paying as parking fees.
Concerning the national
convention held by the Peoples Democratic Party and its boast that it would
displace the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2019, Adesina said the
President was not bothered.
He said, “When the PDP was at its strength, they were defeated; they were given a bloody nose at the polls, not to talk of when they are holding the shorter end of the stick. So, it should not bother anybody.”
He also dismissed talks about low
ratings for the APC, saying, “Ratings change; it can be low today and,
tomorrow, it can go up. So, it is not something that should worry anybody. All
I know is that this government is on course and before the mandate terminates
in 2019, the rating will be very high.”
Watch video here:
Is the presidential aircraft still parked in London? Who is/was responsible for the charges?
ReplyDeleteThe ship is still sinking......
ReplyDeleteAll his (Buhari) bills will on my account to pay abi? Are you not tired of deceiving people with your words?
ReplyDelete