Reuben Abati, former spokesman to ex-President Goodluck
Jonathan, says it is evident that President Muhammadu Buhari is in charge of
the country.
Abati was commenting on Buhari’s interview with ARISE TV
last week Thursday.
Several critics including Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate, and
Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto state, had claimed that Nigeria is being run
through proxies and that Buhari is not in charge of the nation’s affairs.
Some others have alleged that the president’s spokespersons have been airing their opinions and not those of their principal.
But Abati, who was among the team that spoke to the
president, said the interview proved that Buhari is in the know of things in
the country.
He said the president is in charge and “showed no hesitation
in restating some of his reported views and taking ownership of them despite
the controversial nature of those views”.
“His submission to a media conversation is also a form of
protection for his spokespersons. Many have accused Garba Shehu, Femi Adesina
and Alhaji Lai Mohammed of speaking for themselves, and not for the President,
but we have all seen a President, speaking for himself, whose views do not
contradict what his aides have been telling us,” Abati said in an opinion
piece.
“Our interview with him also proved the point that there is
no doubting the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari is effectively in charge.
He knows what is going on. And he showed no hesitation in restating some of his
reported views and taking ownership of them despite the controversial nature of
those views.”
Abati said the Buhari interview “has further revealed how
divided we are as a nation”.
He urged the president to address Nigerians more often.
“Whoever advised President Buhari to grant media interviews
last week and also address the nation on Saturday, June 12, did him a big
favour. The intensity of media appearance was a good move, even if it came
rather late,” he said.
“Every President has his or her own style but deliberately
playing possum should not be part of that style. President Buhari should speak
more often to Nigerians. He should sit down at Presidential media chats.
“Nigeria is not a feudal system where the aristocrat treats
the people with disdain. In a democracy, the man of power is accountable to the
people who expect their leaders to continually justify why they must be in
power and office.”
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