Garba Shehu, the Senior Special
Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, says
Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo needs to explain to Nigerians why
he was absent at 2019 Presidential inauguration and Democracy Day.
Shehu in a statement on Wednesday said Obasanjo’s claim
that he was not invited to the inauguration cannot be sustained because he was
duly invited.
He added that the letter inviting Obasanjo to the event
was written by the Secretary to the Government, Boss Mustapha on May 19.
“The former
President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, owes an answer to Nigerians on his absence
from the 2019 Presidential inauguration and Democracy Day celebration because
the claim that he was not invited or he did not receive an invitation cannot be
sustained.
“Since the claim was first made, elements in the polity
that have deliberately and consistently been trying to lead the country toward
polarization have cashed in on it, throwing all manner of rubbish at the Buhari
Presidency.
“The fact remains that the Secretary to the Government,
Boss Mustapha wrote on May 16th, 2019 to: “His Excellency, Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo, GCFR, Former President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Agbe L’Oba
House, Quarry Road, Ibara, P.O.Box 2286, Abeokuta, Ogun State.”
“The invitation was sent to Chief Obasanjo’s known
forwarding address, detailing out all the major events, and the invitation
cards were delivered by a reputable courier company as confirmed.
“The receipt of the letter and invitation cards as
delivered by the courier company was confirmed by Mr. Taiwo Ojo, the long-standing
Personal Secretary to the former President.
“If in the circumstance, Chief Obasanjo did not see or
receive the letter and invitation cards as published by Vanguard newspaper
(Page 16, June 16, 2019) and several other news platforms, then the former President
needs to find out what is happening with his own secretariat.
“The government office did its job diligently and should
not be blemished for no reason.”
