President Muhammadu Buhari has described the claim that he was dead and replaced by one Jubril from Sudan as a joke that was not funny.
Buhari said this in a documentary shown Friday night at a dinner organised by his family and very close associates to celebrate his 80th birthday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He noted that some Nigerians have a way of creating humour to feast on something they do not understand.
According to him, the rumour was the work of mischief makers.
Asked by the interviewer if he heard the rumour that he was not the real Buhari, he replied; “Yes! people said I am somebody from Sudan. I didn’t bother with the name. Nigerians have mischievous ways of explaining themselves.”
Asked if he found such things funny, the president said: “No, it is not funny because those who made those statements, they just want to be cheeky. They want to distract attention from the main issue.
“Our main issue is to do the infrastructure, make people aware that they need to work hard to live well. They just want to enjoy life without earning the respect of their community and so on.”
Buhari also said he would not miss Aso Rock much because he was being harassed and his efforts to make the country better are not good enough or appreciated by some people.
On what he would miss about the presidency, Buhari said: “I wonder if I am going to miss much. I think I’m being harassed. I believe I’m trying my best but still my best is not good enough. Because there are people around that think that they can intimidate me to get what they want instead of going through certain systems to earn whatever they want to earn, and they are some people who want to be clever by half.”
President Buhari revealed that he lost two of his children by his late wife to sickle cell anemia and that was why when he wanted to remarry, he insisted the second wife must be AA genotype, so that his children would not inherit the S from his AS genotype.
On his part, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo described the president as a forthright, good and kind man, as well as an exemplary leader.
He also noted that the president would make a very good entertainer in retirement because of his wackiest sense of humour.
Osinbajo recalled how the president used jokes to calm him down to rescind his decision to submit a letter to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate allegations of corruption leveled against him.
Osinbajo praised President Buhari for leading the nation with great courage, determination and commitment.
Former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, described Buhari as a man with impeachable character, a nationalist, a good listener, a man who loves his family and the country, Nigeria.
Similarly, Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi described President Buhari as a detribalised person that means well for Nigeria.
APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, who also graced the occasion, thanked President Buhari for sacrificing a lot for the progress of Nigeria.
He likened him to leaders like “Charles De Gaulle of France, Franklin Roosevelt of America, Winston Churchill of Great Britain and Buhari of Nigeria.”