On Wednesday, Nigerians were greeted with an unpleasant official statement from the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, accusing a Presidential Aide, Garba Shehu of switching his loyalty away from her husband’s government.
The First Lady also accused Mr Garba of “crossing his boundaries” and meddling in her affairs and those of her family’s.
Shehu Garba has since kept mute on the matter. However, his colleague, another spokesman of the president and special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Femi Adesina has given his reaction on the issue.
Mr Adesina during a phone-in programme on Channels TV said the presidential spokespersons have no business with issues within the first family.
“Family matters are off-limits; they are off-limits to spokesmen. We don’t talk about it because that is not what we have been hired to do,” he said.
“That is not why we were invited to the government. If the president would want us to say anything about his family, then it will be a specific instruction.
“Otherwise, family is off-limits and you see that I don’t touch it.”
“I heard you quoting earlier from what the first lady said, and in all that you have said, she referred to somebody. There are two of us who speak for the president, Garba Shehu was the one she was referring to,” he said.
”Therefore, if you will get clarification on that matter, it is only fit and proper and just that you will be seeking it from Garba Shehu. This kind of clarifications, you don’t get by proxy, but from the horse’s mouth.”
