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USA, UK not pressuring Buhari to drop second term bid – Presidency

Published

6 years ago

August 14, 2018

The Presidency on Tuesday said there was no truth in a media report that some foreign powers were putting pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re -election in 2019 .
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity , Mr . Femi Adesina , said this in a statement made available to journalists .

Adesina was reacting to a story titled “ Pressure mounts on Buhari not to seek re – election ” which claimed that foreign powers , including the European Union , United States of America , United Kingdom , and Saudi Arabia , are putting pressure on Buhari not to seek re – election .

The presidential spokesman said contrary to the report, Buhari was being held in high esteem in the countries mentioned in the report .

He said because Buhari is not flippant , he gave a deep thought to the prospect before announcing his bid for a second term in office .

Adesina added that it is only those who fear electoral loss that are trying to dissuade the President from running by all means .

He said by claiming that it got feelers that Buhari may opt out of the 2019 presidential election , the newspaper embarrassed itself .

The statement read in part, “ We thought fake news was the sole preserve of the social media in this season . Alas , a traditional medium has caught the bug . Obviously , the author of the story just got a brainwave , or got procured by anti -democratic elements , and then penned the mischief .

“ If there are quarters in which President Buhari is held in very high esteem , and the work he is doing for Nigeria highly lauded , it is in the countries mentioned . Some of them are equally bastions of democracy , and will not interfere in the democratic affairs of a sovereign country . The newspaper should simply tell its story to the marines .

“ President Buhari is not a flippant or frivolous individual . He gave deep thought to the prospect , before announcing his bid for a second term in office .

“ It is only those who fear that their goose would be cooked , if they meet with him at the polls , that are trying to dissuade him from running by all means , including sponsored newspaper stories . ”