Tribunal: Presidency condemns media report, says Buhari retracted nothing

The Presidency has condemned what it described as ”a twisted
story with malicious intent” which was published in Saturday Punch
of Sept. 14, with the headline; “Tribunal: Buhari retracts,
confesses he was under tension.”

The news story was derived from what the President said when he
received All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, who had come to
felicitate with him at State House, Abuja on Friday.

The President’s spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement in
Abuja on Saturday, said the newspaper was being mischievous by
trying to link up what the president said in an earlier statement
(on the judgment) with his remarks during the Friday visit.

The statement read part: ”Referring specifically to judgment day
by the tribunal, which coincided with the maiden meeting of the
Federal Executive Council (FEC), President Buhari had said: “It was
a fabulous coincidence that it came almost the same time the first
FEC meeting of this government was taking place.

“It lasted about the same time with the judgment. I thank God
for that because I think I would have gone into trauma or
something. So, I was busy trying to concentrate on the memos.

”An elementary understanding of the English language shows that
President Buhari was talking specifically of the day and time of
the court ruling, not before.

”Saturday Punch went further to say that the President’s remarks
amounted to a retraction of his earlier statement, in which he said
he had been unperturbed about the judicial challenge to his
electoral victory.

”Hear the statement personally approved earlier on Wednesday by
the President: ‘Good conscience fears no evil report. I was
unperturbed all along because I knew Nigerians freely gave us the
mandate. We are now vindicated.’

”I was unperturbed all along… Was that referring to judgment
day? A simple comprehension of English language indicates
otherwise. It referred to the many months the case lasted in
court.”

The presidential aide further frowned at the allegation by the
newspaper that the President may not have been privy to the earlier
statement that emanated from his media office.

He said: ”To further show malice and evil intent, the newspaper
indicated that the President may not have been privy to the earlier
statement that emanated from his media office. Who does that, for
such a landmark development, without the consent of the
principal?

”As a piece of information, the President personally approved
the statement for release, as the FEC meeting was winding to a
close.

”If stories end up being dumped in Saturday Punch without the
editor approving it, then the newspaper should not use such
pedestrian standard in judging the media office of the
President.”