Presidency defends Buhari’s old age theory

Reacting to calls that President Muhammadu Buhari should resign over issues of his age, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, has stated that Buhari is not too old to cope with the demands of his office

He said the President “is like an old wine that has got tastier.”

He was reacting to a statement credited to Buhari during an audience he granted Nigerians resident in South Africa where Buhari had said, “I wish I became Head of State when I was a governor. Now at 72, there is a limit to what I can do.”

A group, the PDP media watchdogs had called for Buhari’s resignation based on the statement. But the PDP had also disowned the group, that its posture on the issue is strange to the party.

The Presidency however explained that like a good wine, President Buhari who will clock 73 in December, gets better with age.

Adesina in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, admitted that the President made the statement, but that it was not an admission that he is too old to cope with the demands of his office.

The presidential spokesman said, “At 72, yes, he can’t be called a youth, but he has in quantum the wisdom, the patience, temperance and forbearance that age brings. And all these virtues he has brought to the Presidency, to make a difference in our national life”.

According to him, Buhari “has in quantum the wisdom, patience, temperance and forbearance that age brings.”

He said he had brought all these virtues to the Presidency to make a difference in national life, and that at 72, Buhari has not changed.

He said President Buhari remained “the simple, honest, incorruptible patriot he has always been.”

He added that because Nigerians earnestly desired change, that was why they voted for him overwhelmingly at the general elections in March.

He said all the virtues and values of the Buhari persona would be deployed into governance in the weeks and months ahead.

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