The Presidency has said the purported rift between President Muhammadu Buhari and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over the leadership crisis in the National Assembly is a figment of the imagination of mischief makers.
Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, told newsmen in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital that the challenge before the APC goes beyond the leadership tussle in the National Assembly.
“There is absolutely nothing like that, Shehu said, noting that, “The President maintains excellent relationship with his friends and who are these people? They include Baba Bisi Akande, one of the most respected individuals that you see around the President; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who, a week or so ago, was in Aso Rock and had a hilarious discussion with the President. Just two days ago, they were inquiring about former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to attend the Ramadan breakfast. The President keeps his friends.
“Sometimes, the things we read in the press amuse us because, as far as the personal relationships are concerned, nothing has dented the political family that the President keeps. All these persons I have mentioned realise they have a political party to build and they have work to do. They have obtained the mandate and they know they need to fulfill certain obligations to Nigerians. The expectations are high. So, they are not mistaken about the assignment,” Shehu asserted.
Shehu then stated that the perception by some Nigerians at home and abroad that the President is slow in effecting change is misunderstood as he was taking his time to sort out the huge mess left behind by the Jonathan administration.
He said Buhari had been busy working out an action plan that would include “taming the monster of corruption, assets recovery and making the power sector functional”.