A relative of the president, Mamman Daura, has finally broken his silence over claims that he dictates for President Muhammadu Buhari.
Daura has remained one of the persons said to be wielding a lot of influence on Buhari, and dictating the decision of his administration.
But speaking during a brief interview with the BBC Hausa Service, monitored in Kaduna on Tuesday, Daura denied the claims.
He said “I don’t dictate to Buhari”, adding that he had never imposed his decision on the Nigerian President.
On his relationship with Buhari, he described Buhari as his uncle.
He said, “My father was their mother’s firstborn. Buhari is the last born.”
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Daura confirmed that he grew up with Buhari and that they had always been together.
“I do visit him to greet him. I do give him advice, but if he asked…I advise him.
“But I don’t go there on my own and insist I must do this or that. No. You don’t do that to the government,” Daura said.
Responding to a question on the clamour of power shift in Nigeria ahead of the 2023 general election, Daura said:
“This turn by turn, it was done once, it was done twice, it was done thrice…It is better for this country to be one”, he said, adding that the issue of who should be trusted with power should be on merit, “for the most competent and not for someone who comes from somewhere.”
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