Mr Femi Adesina, former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, disclosed how his principal told him he did not know where he was when he was seriously ill.
In his book titled ‘Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015 – 2023)’, Adesina recounts a visit to Buhari in London in 2017.
He said during the visit, Buhari admitted to him that he did not know where he was 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 organised 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. They expected me to declare the President either incapacitated or dead.
“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 the 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 nine 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.
“However, it was understandable that it was not possible, particularly when President Buhari 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’.
