Femi Adesina, the former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that the rumour of a clone – Jubril of Sudan – of his ex-principal was ridiculous.
Adesina revealed this, among others in his book, titled, ‘Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015 – 2023),’ which was presented in Abuja last Tuesday.
The former presidential aide stated that upon his (Buhari) return from a foreign medical trip on August 19, 2021, rumour began to spread that the erstwhile President wasn’t the real tall, lanky, Daura-born ex-military leader, but rather it was his clone called ‘Jubril of Sudan.’
Adesina recalled that the day the President returned, he (Adesina) had earlier attended the wedding of the daughter of a former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin.
“For such outings, you needed the full Yoruba agbada, with cap to match. That was what I wore. From church and reception, I went straight to the airport, as the President was billed to land about 4 p.m. And when he did, we formed the usual reception line,” Adesina wrote.
The former aide stated that Buhari shook hands with everyone, and when it got to his turn, the ex-military leader complimented him, saying, “Adesina, this is the best I have seen you dressed,” and they laughed at the joke as Buhari was fond of wisecracks.
Adesina added, “When later, some people began to spread unfounded stories that the man that returned to the country on that August 19 was not the real Buhari, but a clone, named Jubril of Sudan, I just found it preposterous, even otiose.”
He queried that if the “person was a certain Jubril, how did he know my name, and commenting on my dressing?”
“Pathetic people. Pitiable,” he added.
Adesina further stated that Buhari was lovable among the people as this was evident when he rode through the airport to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He added that with the warm reception shown to Buhari on that day, if he had contested for office again, he would win.
“The ride from Murtala Muhammed Airport to the Presidential Villa on that day was what showed me that the President would win an election if he ran again.
“Many times, the crowd was so uncontrollable that they seized the road and forced the convoy to a crawl. They were simply overjoyed to have their President back, a man they loved so much” the book read.
Adesina also revealed in his book how Buhari resisted to sack the embattled governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele over speculations on his presidential ambition in the past 2023 general election.
Likewise, Buhari was quoted to have said he preferred extraditing the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to face trial in Nigeria rather than killing him.
According to the book, Buhari said extraditing Kanu to Nigeria was a better option compared to mobilising resources to eliminate him.