The Nigerian presidency has said the support base of the President
Muhammadu Buhari administration is still enormous, insisting that those
complaining of the present tough times are “in the minority”.
This out-of-touch remark was made by presidential spokesperson, Femi
Adesina when he made an appearance on a radio appearance on Raypower
100.5Fm in Abuja on Friday, July 8, 2016.
On the phone-in programme, Mr. Adesina said he urged those complaining of
suffering under President Buhari to be patient with the Buhari government
assuring that effort is being made to “correct the wrongs of the past”.
Adesina claimed that Buhari’s government officials in Aso Rock are living
in the midst of the people and feeling their pulse regularly”, those
working in government can conclude that those criticising Buhari were in
the minority.
“Yes, you need to give me the statistics of those complaining. We
[government officials] are in the midst of the people and we can feel the
pulse of the people,” Adesina said.
“I maintain that the people who are complaining are in the minority. I can
tell you that the support base of this government is still enormous.
“Yes, we know some people are complaining but, they are still in the
minority,” he said.
A popularly public affairs analyst and columnist with Vanguard, Dele
Sobowale, has dismissed Adesina’s comments calling him a victim of Aso
Rock Sickness. In an opinion editorial, Sobowale condemned Adesina for his
elitist comment and decried the widespread poverty, starvation, and
desperation among ordinary Nigerians.
Sobowale warned that if something urgent is not done to address the
looming famine, that parents would start eating their children for food.