Those condemning Buhari are uncharitable —Senator Ojudu

Senator Babafemi Ojodu is the Presidential Adviser (Political Affairs) to President Muhammadu Buhari. In this interview by DAPO FALADE, he insisted that those who are criticising the present administration are mischief-makers, declaring that the recent spate of praises for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is a Greek gift.

 

You recently accused the opposition of trying to fan an ember of discord between President Muhammad Buhari and his deputy, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. Do you have any justification for this accusation?

Yes I did. I have come by a number of opposition figures showering praises on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and condemning President Muhammadu Buhari. It is indecent and uncharitable. This is coming from sources who have never seen anything good in both of them, who have condemned the president for picking Professor Osinbajo as his running mate, who have told the world our party has no program, that we have no economic team and lack direction.

Suddenly they are now on the roof top, praising the vice president who they once said will not measure up. We are wary of this their gift; it is Greek in nature and in intent.

 

But don’t you think members of the opposition have a point to prove, given that the noticeable changes are just coming in now?

Yes, the changes are coming now and thank God you are all acknowledging it. But the walk towards the changes didn’t start overnight. It is several months of hard work and meticulous planning. We told you then to be patient that a lot is in the works which cannot be achieved over night. As the Americans will say, you aren’t seen nothing yet.

 

You ascribed some of the recent gains to what you termed as initiatives of the president. The question is, why are they coming at this point in time when the president is not around?

Every programme or agenda of government has time for maturity. It is just coincidental that this is happening at a time the president is not at home. The fact of his not being at home does not also mean that he is not directing the affairs of things from where he is.

He is not incapacitated and not on admission in an hospital. He talks to his vice who is acting as president on a day to day basis. The share outcome of their ideas and the outcome of their collaboration is what is being praised.

We thank them for the adulation, but we are saying that nobody can separate or cause division between these two great men who are determined to give Nigerians a new lease of life.

 

You said the acting president is consulting his boss on a daily basis. This assertion appears contradictory to the impression out there that the president has been held incommunicado by some powerful forces in the Presidency…

Yes, they talk and deliberate. It is the same mischief makers who are planting the story of the president being held incommunicado. Please, do ignore them. The president talks to the acting president, his aides and family members.

 

You also used the word, mischief-maker, to describe some set of people who you said are out to cause disaffection within the presidency. Several Nigerians are beginning to see this as a way of shying away from spate of criticism trailing the continued absence of the president. What is your take on this?

Yes the president is absent. He has however not done anything against the spirit of our constitution. He has complied with our laws. If a man, whether president or ordinary citizen, feels the need to seek medical care, what we need to show is sympathy and goodwill; not to cause ill-will and disaffection.

 

You are a seasoned journalist before becoming a politician and well known for reporting issues and events in their true perspective. Will you say Mr President has been fair to his media team in terms of information Nigerians are getting from the team on his state of health?

I will be willing to learn from you what you think the team should do that they have not been doing.

 

But Nigerians are beginning to see the media team as a bunch of liars who are feeding fat on public funds only to be spewing out falsehood about the president’s state of health and its effects on the country…

This is a wrong judgment on the part of those Nigerians you are quoting. It is certainly not a fair judgment, particularly the aspect of lying and feeding fat.

 

In view of the increasing criticism, will you have handled things differently if you were part of the team?

I have confidence in the team handling the media affairs of the president.

 

You are a presidential aide on political matters. How close are you to your principal? How much do you know about his state of health?

You said I am a presidential aide on political matters. You are very right. I am not the one in charge of his health. I am not his personal doctor. Everything you want to know about his health you can or should direct to his personal physician.

 

Can you give a time lag to when the president may possibly return to the country?

That will be communicated through the usual and relevant channel.

 

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) recently reportedly said President Buhari will rule for eight years. Is this the official position of an administration that is barely two years in office?

I have not heard this from him. I don’t know where and when and under what circumstance he said this.

 

Not quite a few people are of the view that the popularity of the present administration has waned considerably. What do you think can be done to shore up the image?

Waned ? What I have heard in the last few weeks have been adulations. Well let me inform you that we are working hard, not resting on our tools or our oars as they say. The administration is committed to giving a new lease of life to Nigerians. That is our vow, it is our commitment and with the support of all of you, we shall make it a reality.