Nigerians have expressed total disappointment over the Presidency claim that rodents had forced President Muhammadu Buhari not to resume to his office, declaring that such claim was a total disgrace and embarrassment for the country.
The Senior Special Assistant to the president on media,Garba Shehu was quoted to have told the BBC that this rat invasion was one of the reasons why presidency officials are forced to clean and renovate the president’s office.
However, a cross section of participants on penpushing, a social media group, described Garba’s explanation as an outlandish excuse which should not emanate from a responsible government. The contributors also called for an overhaul of the president’s media team and departments responsible for the upkeep of the president’s office.
Dr Goke Rauf, Director of Communications at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta wrote, ‘’some Nigerians can be shameless! That we cannot maintain the nation’s number one office sounds funny. What is this outlandish excuse that Shehu is vomiting? It has become so bad that we cannot rid our president’s office of rodents at a time that we are trying to curtail Lassa Fever spread. By the way, were they not aware of the President’s return ahead of Saturday? What is so special about fumigation that rats would render the president an IDP? Perhaps Aso Rocks rats should be declared ‘terrorists’.’’
Femi Shodunke, Publisher of Canada-based online medium, GatewayMail, said the explanation was better described as foolish talk, which should not have been made public
‘’But, like Charly Boy and co dey talk ‘our mumu don do.’ Why is it now that renovation is just taking place?
Does it mean those in the charge of the President office didn’t realise the need to prepare the office in advance for the past over 100 days that Baba Daura was away?’,Shodunke said. ‘’Please, don’t ‘mumurize’ us with this flattery excuse. In addition, if the President is well enough, why can’t he operate from the office designated for him? Why must he operate from home? Definitely, he could work in his office and when it’s closing time he’ll go back home to continue work like some of us do daily.
‘’In any case, before his illness, has he been operating from home, meeting service chiefs and holding FEC meetings? Finally, I love explanations on issues, but not the one that tries to bamboozle me as if I be ‘mumu.’ The President is still not okay to function in his official office. But, we can excuse him, not for anyone to say we’re ‘brainless.’ Indeed ridiculous. Highly shameful and humongously embarrassing to the Presidency and the nation. Is this the type of excuse we, and the international world, should be reading about “us”?
Ogun State Chairman of Committee for Defence of Human Rights, Olayinka Folarin said, ‘ It is becoming crystal clear that we are in for a rodent change. Who are the advisers of this government? Prospective lies to a nation like ours should at least have some reasoning contents, and be dished out by personalities with retained functional psyche, not like Garba Shehu. A time will come when Nigerians will no longer be taken for a fool’
The founder of Penpushing platform, Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji in his own submission said,’ If the Presidency claimed that rodents forced President not to resume in office, I think in my own view, it is a total shame for the nation, and a ridiculous excuse coming from the authority. There is need for overhauling of the media team and department(s) responsible for the upkeep of president’s office.’
Also another notable member of the platform, Titus Olowokere wrote,’ It’s a ridiculous excuse, and taking the populace for a ride. They knew the president was returning. Regardless, the office of the PRESIDENT, for crying out loud, must always be in pristine condition, whether the owner of the office is away or not. It is evident that PMB is still recuperating and probably mostly in bed rest’.
Similarly, a cleric, Olusesi Obateye was of the view that, ‘Those who gave out the information of rodents chasing our president are shamelessly careless information disseminators. The whole world will have impression Nigeria is under Lassa Fever terrorism. This government is not a Messiah but a stop gap. God will help us out. Nigeria situation has become from frying pan to fire. God will help us. I’m afraid Nigeria is gradually becoming someone’s farm. God will help us. Shalom’.
A social critic and member on platform, Ola Animashaun wrote, ‘with all apologies our dear Mr Femi Adesina, the issue here is not about the President working from home or not. Or whether work is on-going or not. There is nothing practically wrong with that. The “FUSS” is about the failure to get his regular office ready before his arrival!? My submission: the H.O.D Maintainance in charge should and must refund the last three (3) months salaries collected for outright negligence, and refusal to discharge his duties accordingly. I rest my case’.
It would be recalled that, after 103 days in London during which he undergone medical treatment, Buhari returned to Nigeria on Saturday, August 19. After a presidential address to Nigeria on Monday, he sent a letter to the National Assembly informing the lawmakers of his return to Nigeria and his resumption of duties as Nigerian president.
Meanwhile, his political aides announced that the president would be working from home in the meantime, giving rise to fears that he might still not be strong enough to handle the demands of the office.