Buhari’s aide under fire for calling Nigerians ‘animals’

A presidential aide who manages President Muhammadu Buhari’s social media accounts has come under public humiliation after excoriating Nigerians who criticised the president’s viral photo with Naomi Campbell as “animals.”

“Naomi Campbell met Nelson Mandela more than once. He hugged her, called her his “honorary granddaughter”. She visits Nigeria for a fashion festival and meets President @MBuhari, and some of you animals are slandering her,” Tolu Ogunlesi said on Twitter Friday, and further emphasised that: “YOU’RE RAVING MAD WITH NOBODY TO TELL YOU.”

Mr. Buhari on Friday morning met with Ms Campbell, a British model, on an inspection tour of the Eko Atlantic real estate project in Lagos.

The assessment visit was part of Mr. Buhari’s trip to Lagos for the 66th birthday events of Bola Tinubu.

The State House was the first to post Mr. Buhari’s encounter with Ms Campbell on Twitter at noon Friday, in one of the rarest sightings of a leader widely seen as modest and taciturn.

A PDP strategist, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, described the controversial tweet as a reflection of the Buhari administration’s approach towards Nigerians.

“What Tolu Ogunlesi said is a reflection of the Buhari presidency,” Mr. Atoye told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Saturday evening. “He merely put into words the horrible treatment Buhari administration has meted out to Nigerians for three years.”

Mr. Ogunlesi, a journalist and social critic, was named as a special assistant to the president on new media in 2016. He has widely been seen as one of the best hands in the administration, especially given how he had managed to amass top-rated journalistic accolades within a few years in practice.

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina, did not respond to a request for comments about how the State House views Mr Ogunlesi’s conduct or whether an official statement would be issued.

-Premium Times