Buhari’s 95 %, 5% Comment: President Denies, Says It Is A Social Media Creation

Garba Sheu

Presidency yesterday said that President Mohammadu Buhari was quoted out of context in saying that his government would only recognize the zones that voted for him during the election.

President Buhari was captured in a video during his recent U.S visit saying, “constituencies that gave me 97% cannot in all honesty be treated equally, on some issues, with constituencies that gave me 5 %, I think these are political realities, while certainly there will be justice for everybody, everybody will get his constitutional rights, but while the party in constituencies that by their sheer hard work they made sure that they got their people to vote and to ensure their votes count, they must feel that the government has appreciated the effort they put in putting the government in place. I see this as really fair.”
Speaking in reaction to the statement, Senior Special Assistant to the president on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said the insinuation was a “social media commentary” that was not tenable.
“That is a social media commentary. Whoever says that is just making a social media commentary, which is a discussion, not regulated in accordance with journalism ethics. What the president meant to say was that the world of politics is seen as a reward system by which people expect to derive maximum support from giving maximum support and he meant to say that he is a different kind of leader and will govern in the interest of all.
“He repeated his famous quote that I belong to everybody and I belong to no one. He said he will be fair to all irrespective of how they voted and went on to say that the constitution of the country makes it compulsory for every Nigerian government to run all in livid administration.
“Under our constitution, everyone and every part of the country is protected. That is what he meant to say. So, that line was taken out of the context in which the statement was made. Taking together in its
contest, president intended to reassure all the parts of this country that none will be neglected”, he said.
Also speaking on whether NNDC board was among the federal boards dissolved recently by the president, Shehu stated that the General Service Officer, GSO, in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF office has clarification on who is involved.

(c) Pointblank News