The presidency has shrugged off the derogatory comment allegedly made by US President Donald Trump about President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to a viral report by Financial Times, the controversial US president said he never wanted to meet someone as “lifeless” as President Buhari.
But reacting to the alleged comment on Sunrise Daily, a Channels TV programme on Tuesday, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said that the presidency would not comment on the statement since it is not attributed to anyone.
He added that the statement is “not verified”.
Adesina said, “If it is unverified as it came out, then the presidency has no comment. It does not pass any concerns of good journalism.”
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The presidential aide also downplayed insinuations that the alleged statement could influence public opinion against Buhari ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
“No, it won’t. Nigerians are the ones that would ultimately elect their president; no foreign power will determine who gets elected,” he said.
“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.”
Adesina also declined to give a definite date for the rescue of Leah Sharibu, the Christian Dapchi girl still being held captive by Boko Haram despite the release of all her schoolmates.
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He said, “For how much longer, I think that question can only be answered by God. I believe that God is interested in that young girl and will ensure that she is preserved.
“I think when that clip that we have is verified, at least one will be sure that it’s her and when that is determined, we should all be glad that she is alive.
“When will she return? By the grace of God, the government is working on it and we believe she will be back.”