In his recently published book, “Working with Buhari: reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023),” Femi Adesina, the former presidential spokesman, sheds light on the underlying tensions that existed between him and the late Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Adesina reveals that Kyari objected to his direct access to the president, despite the fact that he was simply following Buhari’s advice when he became his spokesman. Adesina further discloses that Kyari, as the chief administrative officer of the presidential villa, denied the media office the necessary operational funds that were available during previous administrations.
Additionally, Kyari obstructed Adesina’s efforts to hire personnel for the media unit, despite receiving approval from the president. Adesina acknowledges that although Kyari was known for his aloofness and his style of governance, he was undeniably loyal to President Buhari. However, there were three specific actions taken by Kyari that deepened the divide between them.
One such incident occurred in June 2015 when Adesina recommended individuals to be hired in the Media Department, individuals who had been actively involved in the campaign and were staunch supporters of Buhari from various regions of the country.
I had the opportunity to explain the details to the President when I delivered the memo to him. He expressed his gratitude and assured me that he would pass it on to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) once appointed, so that it would be officially recorded. This seemed fair enough.
When the Chief of Staff (COS) and SGF were eventually appointed, the President directed the memo to the COS, which was in line with the process. However, to my surprise, Mr. Kyari, the COS, did not take any action on it for an entire year. He did not provide any explanation for his inaction.
Eventually, my colleague, Garba Shehu, decided to approach Mr. Kyari about the matter. To our astonishment, Mr. Kyari confessed that he had ignored the memo because I had presented it directly to the President. However, the date on the memo clearly indicated that he had not even been appointed at that time.
The second issue pertained to the funding of the Media Department. There was no specific budget allocation for it, and funds were typically provided by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) as needed. I sought advice from two of my predecessors, Dr. Reuben Abati and Ima Niboro, who briefed me on the matter.
Media and publicity activities are not inexpensive, regardless of the country. However, it is astonishing that we managed to operate for five years without any financial support. After the appointment of the NSA, I approached him to discuss how publicity was usually funded from his office. During our conversation on a Friday, he assured me that he would do anything necessary to ensure our success in serving the nation.
Exactly one week later, after the Jumat service, the NSA came to my office with both hands raised. I inquired about the reason for his gesture, and he informed me that he had received a memo from the President, stating that no expenses, except those related to security, should be funded from his office. Consequently, the promise he had made to me was no longer feasible.
I expressed my gratitude to the NSA for his previous commitment and informed him that I would discuss the matter with the President. That same night, I had the opportunity to meet with the President at his residence. Only General Dambazau and I were present, and I explained the purpose of my visit.
The President was genuinely surprised that media and publicity had not been funded for over three months. He inquired about how we had managed
The former president’s account in the book reveals that a thorough investigation was conducted into the activities of the NSA office, as there were no records of their actions.
The president expressed his disapproval of this and emphasized the need to prevent the media from being funded through that office again. Instead, he instructed the Chief of Staff to devise a new funding mechanism for the media.
The author, Adesina, recounts his attempt to discuss this matter with the Chief of Staff, but he was immediately shut down and not given the opportunity to speak. Feeling discouraged, Adesina decided not to approach the President again.
It wasn’t until five years later that the media received any funding, albeit not as much as required. In another encounter, a respected retired General had repeatedly tried to meet with the President through the proper channels but received no response.
Adesina intervened on the General’s behalf, and the President promptly scheduled a meeting for the following day. However, when Adesina returned to his office, he was summoned by the Chief of Staff, who angrily questioned why he had arranged the appointment without consulting him first. The Chief of Staff admonished Adesina for bypassing him and insisted that he cease his direct communication with the President.
During my tenure, I vividly recall the President’s explicit instructions to me on my first day back at work. He emphasized that no one should hinder my access to him and encouraged me to approach him whenever necessary.
I adhered to this guidance diligently, ensuring that I only sought an audience with the President when it was absolutely essential throughout the entire eight-year period. Remarkably, the President consistently displayed kindness and generosity towards me during these encounters.
However, it appears that Malam Abba held a different perspective on this matter, which affected our relationship. Although we were not particularly close, we also did not harbor any animosity towards each other.
Regrettably, the devastating outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2019 claimed the lives of numerous remarkable individuals, including Malam Abba. This tragic event deeply affected me, as I mourned the loss of a fellow soul.
