Says “It’s real me”
President Muhammadu Buhari has finally put to rest the speculation on the social media platforms that he had died and was a cloned personality of one Jubril from Sudan.
It would be recalled that recently, the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was reported to have said that it is only President Buhari who could shed light on the rumour.
More so, at one of the national executive council meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), someone in the audience reportedly interjected while the presidential candidate of the party, Mr. Abubakar Atiku was speaking saying: “Jubril must go!”
Atiku reportedly responded: “Which Jubril? Is it the one in Sudan or the one in Abuja?”
Buhari clarified this speculation during an interactive session with the Nigerian Community in Krakow, Poland on Sunday where he attended Conference of the Parties (COP24) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
According to a statement by his senior special assistant on media and publicity Mr. Garba Shehu, member of the audience had asked Buhari to shed light on the rumour.
The president who described the speculation as “ignorant and irreligious” said: “A lot of people hoped that I died during my ill health. Some even reached out to the vice president to consider them to be his deputy because they assumed I was dead. That embarrassed him a lot and, of course, he visited me when I was in London convalescing… It’s real me; I assure you. I will soon celebrate my 76th birthday. I am still going strong.”
He jocularly added: “If I am getting harassed by anyone, it is my grandchildren, who are getting too many.’’
Buhari used the occasion to restate his government’s commitment to security, the economy and the fight against corruption.
“Those in the northeast will tell you that in spite of the recent setbacks, there is a difference between the time we came and before. We are not doing badly on security, economy and agriculture. We have virtually stopped the importation of food especially rice and we are saving a lot of money.
“We now have food security and that has come with fiscal security because a lot of young educated people have not regretted going back to the farms and earning a respectable living. I am afraid; this is not receiving good publicity. But a lot of people in the rural areas are enjoying the benefits of our interventions in agriculture,” he said.
The president prayed Nigerians to remain vigilant and supportive of federal government’s efforts to ensure the security of life and property in the country. While acknowledging that financing the security sector has been challenging, he maintained that the Nigerian Armed Forces were equal to the task.
On the fight against corruption, he said all recovered stolen assets would be sold and the proceeds returned to the treasury for the benefit of Nigerians.
On women representation in his government, the President told the audience: ‘‘I have plans for all Nigerians. I am not a male chauvinist. If I’m a chauvinist will I give the Finance Ministry to women?’’
In his remarks, Nigeria’s ambassador to Poland, Mr. Eric Adagogo Bell-Gam praised Nigerians living in the country for being worthy ambassadors of the country.
