– President Muhammadu Buhari’s medical vacation is still a major national discourse
– The president’s ill-health has dominated the polity for a while
– The presidency is not helping matters by giving conflicting information on the president’s health status
A report by Yzenithbloga has listed 16 inconsistencies of the presidency as regards the health status of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Has President Buhari’s media team failed him?
President Buhari has been in London since January 19. The presidency had first announced that he was there for a 10-day leave. But he has since extended the leave on medical grounds.
The media aides of the presidency, together with the minister for information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed have been doing all they can to launder the image of the president’s health.
But it seems they have done more harm than good to the president’s image.
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Afenifere chieftain and elder statesman, Ayo Adebanjo recently said the presidency is not sincere about the true state of President Buhari’s health, adding that those around the president were taking Nigerians for fools.
Similarly, former President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife has expressed his displeasure over how the presidency is handling the president’s health situation.
Here is a timeline of activities of the media aides:
1. January 21, 2017
Barely two days after his departure, it was rumoured that the president had died. As expected, Garba Shehu was on hand to immediately quell the rumours.
2. February 05, 2017
Lai Mohammed said that President Buhari’s return to Nigeria was delayed due to a faulty aircraft were untrue.
3. February 05, 2017
Few moments after releasing a statement announcing the president’s decision to extend his vacation, Femi Adesina said Buhari alone was in the position to release his test results.
4. February 06, 2017
Shehu in a post on his Facebook page said, he spoke with Buhari’s personal doctor who told him the president was not in any serious condition.
5. February 08, 2017
Mohammed while speaking to State House correspondents said Buhari was in good health, and was a victim of his own transparency, he added that the president’s health status was not comparable to that of late former president Umar Musa Yar’Adua, saying Nigerians do not need daily updates on Buhari’s health.
6. February 08, 2017
Lauretta Onochie, a personal assistant to the president on social media insisted that Buhari was not ill.
7. February 14, 2017
Following outcry from Nigerians requesting details of the phone conversation between Buhari and US president Donald Trump, Shehu said it would be “undiplomatic” to make the contents of the call public.
8. February 14, 2017
Shehu told Nigerians to be prepared to see President Buhari soon.
9. February 16, 2017
While speaking on a morning show, Adesina said President Buhari would not speak Nigerians as a matter of principle.
10. February 18, 2017
Speaking youths in Abuja at an interactive session, Shehu said the presidency will urge Buhari to speak with Nigerians.
11. February 21, 2017
Adesina issued a statement where the president told Nigerians there was no cause to worry over his health.
12. February 21, 2017
Adesina said contrary to speculations Buhari would not sneak into the country on his return.
13. February 21, 2017
Adesina in a bid to defend his principal said Buhari would be responsible for informing Nigerians of his possible return date, saying he only speaks what he is told as the president’s spokesman.
14. February 22, 2017
During a telephone conversation on radio, Adesina said he had not spoken with the president since he went on vacation.
15. February 25, 2017
Adesina, who spoke with Buhari for the first time since he went on vacation, said the president thanked him for coping with mischief makers.
16. February 25, 2017
Shehu tagged the date, “a day for the media team” – meaning a day when the president decided to put calls through to all members of his media team.
READ ALSO: Knocks, praises for President Buhari’s media team
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