Presidency Under Pressure Announces Seven Governors Jamboree-Visit To Buhari In London On Wednesday

A Presidency under pressure to reassure Nigerians on President Muhammadu Buhari’s fitness to continue as president on Tuesday announced that seven state governors have been selected to go on a jamboree-visit ailing Buhari in London.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in an interview with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Mr. Shehu revealed that the governors will leave Nigeria on Tuesday evening and meet with President Buhari by 3pm on Wednesday.

The team will be led by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and the Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari, he said.

Other members of the delegation include Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Umar Ganduje (Kano),  Kashim Shettima (Borno), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo).

On why Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose not in the delegation, Mr. Shehu replied that the selection was not done by government but by the NGF.

He said, “The visit is a goodwill visit and there is nothing more than that.

“They will leave tonight, arrive tomorrow and meet President Buhari by 3pm tomorrow.”

When pressed on why Mr. Buhari has not addressed but rather chose to be receiving delegations, Shehu said, “It is a question of what he prefers and if he opts for address option, he will do so.”

But what the media aide to Buhari did not disclose is how the trip of the governors would be financed? Whether it would be financed by the governors themselves, since as he claimed it was a goodwill visit, or whether the taxpayers would have to bear the brunt of such an unnecessary jamboree?

President Buhari left his duties since May 7 to urgently attend to his failing health. Since his departure, Nigerians are kept in the dark as to his true health status. The President has also not deemed it necessary up till now to do a video address to reassure Nigerians that he is fine. Instead he chose to rely on the propaganda of visits of his allies to calm tension over his long absence from duty when the need arises.