I’m not caged, Buhari replies Nyiam

President Muhammadu Buhari declared, yesterday, that he was not caged by any group or individuals and that he was in firm control of the presidency and the country.

The President was reacting to assertion by Col. Tony Nyiam (rtd), who in an exclusive interview with a national daily yesterday stated that President Buhari was caged by some powerful forces around him who now dictate and determine most decisions of the President, especially in the areas of political appointments.

Nyiam was quoted as saying that some of the appointments of the president were lopsided.

But reacting to the statement, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said though individuals are entitled to their opinions, the comments credited to Nyiam were not true.

According to him, if Col. Nyiam admitted to have a vast knowledge and workings of the President in the past and also spotted his impeccability, he was in a better position to tell other people that President Buhari cannot change.

Said he: “Well, Col. Nyiam is just an individual. He is entitled to his opinion. But his opinion is not necessarily right. The fact that he said it does not mean it is true.

“I am happy that he knows the person of President Buhari deeply. If that is the case, he cannot easily admit that the man he spoke glowingly about cannot change or be influenced by anybody.

“Everyone in Nigeria knows President Buhari. He had been a Head of State and we saw how he dealt with corruption and even now, he is not relenting. As a matter of fact, he made corruption the chief issue among his campaign promises and he is dealing with that…