Femi Adesina, the former spokesperson to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, has revealed how his principal responded to President Bola Tinubu’s “Emi Lokan” speech during the 2023 presidential campaign.
The former presidential aide made the disclosure in his new book titled “Working with Buhari: Reflections of A Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023).”
According to Adesina, Buhari was in Spain for an event when President Tinubu made the ‘Emi Lokan’ remark during a meeting with APC delegates in Ogun state.
Adesina said Buhari’s aides were troubled about conveying to the ex-president the content of Tinubu’s statements made during the meeting.
“Asiwaju Tinubu said many things, but what touched on President Buhari directly was that without him (Asiwaju), Buhari would never have been President and that it was now his own turn to rule. Emilokan, my turn, in the Yoruba language.”
The presidential aides decided to brief Buhari during their return flight to Nigeria to prevent different versions and interpretations of the event.
“Ever a willing listener, the President told me to go ahead. I did a summary of the Emilokan speech, and when I ended, the President ruminated for some moments and responded: ‘Asiwaju said all that? Thank you for coming to brief me.’”
“The next day, June 4, President Buhari held a scheduled meeting with all APC presidential aspirants at the Villa. Emilokan hung thick in the air, but trust the President, not a word of it was mentioned,” he added.
