FACT CHECK: Buhari Is Far From Modest As He Promised

However, 20 months after being elected as president, there are indications that he is not living to the promise he made to the electorate which helped him defeat incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2015.

Buhari on January 19, Thursday, left Nigeria for the U.K on a 10-day leave to undergo medical check up his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Femi Adesina announced.

“While away the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, will perform the functions of the Office of the President,” Adesina, said in his statement. “During the vacation, the president will also undergo routine medical check-ups.”

Speaking on Saturday, February 21, 2015 in London ahead of the presidential vote, Buhari promised to maintain a modest lifestyle if voted in as president.

At the London event hosted by Chatham House, he said: “One of the major killer of our economy apart from corruption is Waste. Our scarce resources are being plundered away very carelessly and unnecessarily wasted.

“What is the difference between me and those who elected us to represent them, absolutely nothing. Why should Nigerian President not fly with other Nigerian public?

“Why do I need to embark on a foreign trip as a president with a huge crowd with public funds?

“Why do I need to go for foreign medical trip if we cannot make our hospital functional?

“Why do we need to send our children to school abroad if we cannot developed our university to compete with the foreign ones?

“Why, and why must our people be servants to the foreigners in the midst of plenty?

I can go on and on.”

“I came here in the UK and I chose to trek just to make sure I sent a message back home to some people who wish us dead.

“This is not my struggle, it is our collective efforts to save Nigeria from those who have
failed us for 16 years.”

FACTS:

a. Buhari flew to London for a 10-day holiday in June 2016, during which received treatment for a persistent ear infection.

b. Buhari’s daughter, Zahra and son, Yusuf, graduated from the University of Surrey, Guildford, England, United Kingdom.

c. The Presidency still maintains a large fleet of presidential aircrafts. Two were put up for sale after public pressure with 10 still left. The government according to a report by The Punch newspapers has spent about N5billionin the last 15 months maintaining the aircrafts.

d. He held a high society wedding for his daughter who recently was wedded to son of oil and gas billionaire, Mohammed Indimi in Abuja.

e. Buhari has travelled over 50 times since he became president on May 29, 2015. Most of his foreign visits are with governors, ministers and other non-state officials like his nephew, Mamman Daura, and former Foreign Affairs Minister, Babagana Kingibe.