After several years of speculations about the real identity of the man in the Presidential Villa, Abuja – Buhari or Jibril from Sudan — President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday reacted for the first time to the rumour, describing it the handiwork of mischief makers who are out to show their cheekiness.
Yes people said I am somebody from Sudan. I didn’t bother with the name. Nigerians have mischievous ways of explaining themselves.
They said I had died and the supposed body is ‘Jibril Aminu from Sudan’ and is the one occupying the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock; it is a joke that is not funny,’’ Buhari said in reaction to what he called crazy rumour.
Persecondnews reports that the President’s reaction is contained in a documentary produced and presented on Friday night at a private dinner organized by his family and close associates in commemoration of his 80th birthday.
Held at the Villa, the event was tagged, “Celebrating A Patriot, A Leader, An Elder Statesman”.
Buhari also said: “Some Nigerians have a way of creating humour to feast on something they do not understand”.
No it is not funny because those who made those statement they just want to be cheeky. They want to distract attention from the main issue.
“Our main issue is to do the infrastructure, make people aware that they need to work hard to live well. They just want to enjoy life without earning the respect of their community and so on”.
On whether he would miss the State House and the grandeur of office, Buhari declared that he would not miss the palatial presidential mansion “much”.
Because I’m being harassed that my efforts to make the country better is not good enough and not appreciated by some people.
I wonder if I am going to miss much. I think I’m being harassed. I believe I’m trying my best but still my best is not good enough.
“Because there are people around that think that they can intimidate me to get what they want instead of going through certain systems to earn whatever they want to earn and there are some people who want to be clever by half,” said the octogenarian ex-military Head of State from December 31, 1983 to mid-1985.
On his late wife, Buhari said he lost two of his children from his late wife to Sickle Cell Anemia, pointing out that when he wanted to remarry (to take Aisha as wife) he insisted her genotype must be ‘’AA’’ so that children from her will not inherit the ‘S’ from his ‘AS’ genotype.
Persecondnews also reports that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, serving and ex-governors, first-class monarchs, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, the President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, all took their turns to extol Buhari at 80.
While proposing a toast to the celebrator, Osinbajo described Buhari as a forthright, good, kind man and an exemplary leader.
For the president’s good sense of humour, the vice-president said he would be a “very good entertainer in retirement’’.
Recalling how the president jokes with him to calm him down when took a decision to submit a letter to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate allegations of corruption leveled against him, Osinbajo said: “Mr. President is a very humorous man and I think he would made a very good career in entertainment one way or the other when he retires.
“One day, I went to him because they were some allegations that were made against me. And I was so angry, so I went to him to show him the letter I had written to the EFCC to investigate.
He looked at it and looked at me and because he calls me VP or Professor depending on his mood.
This time he said, ‘VP, why do you worry yourself about all these people. These people just make all sorts of allegations, they make all sorts of stories up even they are saying that I am about to get married again.
“And even some foolish people were waiting at the National Mosque, waiting for me to come and marry again”.
Osinbajo was full of praises for Buhari for “leading the nation with great courage, determination and commitment.’’
“I invite Your Excellences, ladies and gentlemen, to join me in proposing this toast to an exemplary leader, a forthright and honest man, a good and kind man, and a man who has led this country with great courage, determination and commitment for so many years.
“We pray that the almighty God will preserve his life for very many years to come and that he will live all of these many years in good health, peace, joy and with the love of all of our country men.”
Also lauding Buhari for sacrificing a lot for the progress of Nigeria, the
Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, commented: “You have been at the helm of the affairs of this country at a critical time. We have seen a life of commitment, dedication, patriotism and honesty.
“Mr President, you have done well for your country. Our nation has seen the difference, the leadership that you demonstrate.
“Like Charles De Gaulle of France, Franklin Roosevelt of America, Winston Churchill of Great Britain, you have served your country well.
“God will continue spare you to see the history as you want it for the country, the ship of this nation will be on the right course. You will live long to enjoy a nice evening of democracy that you brought about.
“When you talk of PVC, card reader, transparency and honesty in the electoral process like you did, we can only promise not to let you down. Enjoy 80 till you celebrate other birthdays.”
On their parts, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ọjájá II, saluted President Buhari’s dedication and commitment to the growth of democracy while the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, believed that Buhari has “done a lot and the results will manifest much later after leaving office”.
“He is a man of Integrity and transparency. I have been interacting with him for several years”.
The Emir of Kazaure called the President as Mr. Law and Order, who once denied him the opportunity of giving him a generator to make his job better as the Secretary of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund as he was using candlelight to work.
Buhari’s age-long ally, former Ogun Gov. Ibikunle Amosun, described him as a man with impeachable character, a nationalist, a good listener, a man who loves his family and the country, Nigeria.
He is a nationalist. He doesn’t think of himself, he is a contented human being.
He is a man whom all of us even his adversaries will agree that this is a man with a flawless character, a man with a good heart, very compassionate, very committed and a good listener.
Somebody that loves his family, Nigeria; he is a nationalist. President Muhammadu Buhari will always think about others. In his own little way and even in his humorous way, he will always not just think about himself.
“He is somebody that is not bothered about all these worldly things he is already a contented human being”.
Ebonyi Gov. David Umahi extolled Buhari as a detribalized person who meant well for the country.
Let me say here that the President is a very highly detribalized personality. He is a man that loves this nation. Every time you meet him, he laments about the level of patriotism of our people.
You will see a man that has passion for the people of this country, a man that loves every section of this country.
“We thank him for the miracle of the Second Niger bridge which is now facilitating the movement of people and goods to the Eastern part of the country this yuletide season,” Umahi, who defected from the PDP to APC in 2021, said.
Persecondnews reports that attendees at the birthday included members of the Federal Executive Council, governors of Katsina, Aminu Masari and Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu, family members, captains of industry including the Chairman of Arise News Channel and Thisday Group, Nduka Obaigbena.
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