No Foreign Power Will Determine Nigeria’s President In 2019 – Adesina On Trump’s ‘Lifeless’ Comment

Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, has brushed aside President Donald Trump’s comment that he never wants to meet someone as lifeless as President Muhammadu Buhari again.

According to a report by Financial Times, Trump made the remark shortly after meeting with Buhari at the White House back in April.

“The first meeting, with Nigeria’s ailing 75-year-old Muhammadu Buhari in April ended with the US president telling aides he never wanted to meet someone so lifeless again, according to three people familiar with the matter,” FT wrote.

But responding while appearing as guest on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday morning, Adesina said the presidency is not worried by the derogatory comment, since Nigerians are the ones to elect their next President.

“If it is unverified as it came out, then the presidency has no comment. It does not pass any concerns of good journalism,” he said.

Asked if the comment could influence voter opinion ahead of the February elections, he replied: “No, it won’t. Nigerians are the ones that would ultimately elect their president; no foreign power will determine who gets elected.

“That does not worry us because it is unsubstantiated, unverified. Anybody could have planted it, you know that in the jostle for power people can do anything.”