Politics
Buhari considered assassinating Nnamdi Kanu, Femi Adesina reveals
Femi Adesina, former spokesperson for Nigeria’s immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that his principal had once said he would have sponsored the assassination of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), but later opted to kidnap and return him to Nigeria to face the law.
In his new book titled ‘Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015 – 2023)’, Adesina noted that Buhari said he opted for the arrest of Mr Kanu instead of mobilising to kill him abroad when a delegation of Igbos led by Chief Mbazulike Ameachi met with the president in the villa to plead for clemency for Kanu.
“Let him make his case in court instead of giving a terrible impression of the country from outside. I feel it is a favour to give him (Mr Kanu) that opportunity. Government could have mobilised to eliminate him where he was, but we did not do that,” Buhari told Mr Amaechi-led delegate.
Buhari further told the delegate pleading on behalf of Mr Kanu that their request was a hard one for him to grant, but he would consider it.
Under pressure to declare Buhari incapacitated while he was ill in London
Meanwhile, Adesina, also disclosed in the book that he was at some point under pressure to declare Buhari incapacitated while he was ill and receiving treatment in London.
He also disclosed how his principal told him he did not know where he was when he was seriously ill.
Adesina recounted a visit to Buhari in London in 2017, during which the former president admitted to not knowing where he was at a point due to his illness.
Adesina revealed that there were demands for him to declare the president incapacitated and unfit for office.
The visit, which was organized by Aisha Buhari, the former first lady, was aimed at providing clarity and firsthand information about Buhari’s condition.
Adesina said: “I was under a lot of barrage, particularly from the media, which expected me to declare the President either incapacitated, or dead. Waoh!.
“There was this significant development, which saw us visiting the President in London, August 12, 2017. The team included the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, myself, Garba Shehu, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman Nigeria Diaspora Commission, and Lauretta Onochie, Personal Aide to the President on Social Media.
“The brain behind the visit was the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari. We spoke sparingly; but that day when the trip was being planned, my phone rang, and it was her. After exchange of pleasantries, she said: ‘My husband is not terminally ill. He is just stressed and overworked. I have been warning on it since last year.
“All he needs is rest. I spent 9 days with him, before returning to attend to some women projects. The children are with him. I think you should visit him too. You can’t be speaking for him without seeing him.’ And that was how the visit was arranged, at the behest of the First Lady.
“Let me add that myself and Garba Shehu had made requests to visit earlier, through the office of the Chief of Staff.
“But it was understandable that it was not possible, particularly when the President was at a time struggling for life. It was during that London meeting that he told me: ‘At a point, I did not even know where I was’.
“Serious. Very serious. Those criticising that the media aides were shut out, was it at such a time we were needed? To do what? To use our pens to conduct diagnosis and write prescriptions? Easy, easy does it.”
