Late Abba Kyari Prevented Me From Seeing Buhari, Left Me Without Funds For Five Years Till His Death – Femi Adesina


January 26, 2024

Abba Kyari has died of Coronavirus on April 17, 2020, at a hospital in Lagos State.

Former presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, has said that Abba Kyrari, the late Chief of Staff to former President, Muhammadu Buhari, prevented him from seeing his principal and from accessing funds for five years till his death.

Abba Kyari has died of Coronavirus on April 17, 2020, at a hospital in Lagos State.

Adesina who said he had strained relationship with late Abba Kyrari made this known in his book, “Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023)” adding that the former COS intentionally prevented Buhari from funding the operations of the presidential media office for five years.”

According to the book, Adesina said he started experiencing this predicament from the outset of his appointment at the Aso Rock Villa, as stressed that Kyari refused to grant him unhindered access to the President, despite Buhari’s directive to that effect.

Adesina said he and Malam Abba were “not quite chummy, but we were also not enemies.”

“In June 2015, I had done a memo to the President, recommending some people to be taken on as staff in the Media Department. They had gone through the campaign and struggles with us and pedestalled themselves as dyed-in-the-wool Buharists. They were from different parts of the country.

“I explained that much to Mr. President the day I took the memo to him. He thanked me and said he would pass it to the SGF (Secretary to Government of the Federation) when he appointed one, so it would be on record. Fair enough.

“When a COS (Chief of Staff) and SGF were appointed, the President directed the memo to the COS. Also in order but Malam Kyari just sat on it for the next one year. He did not say anything on it.

“Eventually, my colleague, Garba Shehu, went to see him. And he confessed to Shehu that he shunned the memo because I had taken it directly to the President. But the June date on it was clear. He had not even been appointed then.

“The second had to do with funding of the Media Department. There was no budget line, and funds were usually provided by the Office of the NSA, as needs arose. I had consulted with two of my predecessors, Dr. Reuben Abati, and Ima Niboro, who had briefed me.

“Media and publicity is not cheap, not anywhere in the world, but it would amaze you that we operated for five years without a dime. After the NSA was appointed, I went to meet and brief him about how publicity was usually funded from his office. It was a Friday, and he promised that anything that would make me and the man we had come to serve succeed, he would do.

“Exactly a week later, after the Jumat service, the NSA walked into my office, with his two hands in the air. I asked what the matter was. He told me he had received a memo from the President, directing that nothing, absolutely nothing, must be funded from his office, except security. In the light of that, the promise he had made me was no longer tenable.

“I thanked him and said I would meet the President. And I did. That very night, in the house. I remember that it was only myself and General Dambazau that were waiting to see him. He is a senior friend, and I told him the purpose of my visit.

“He was quite surprised that over three months media and publicity was not being funded yet. He asked how we were doing it, and I said myself and Shehu were using goodwill. When I met the President and told him of my encounter with the NSA, he confirmed that he gave the directive, and explained why.

“A lot was done through the Office of the NSA, and there were no records. I do not want that. We will institute a probe into the activities of the office (it was eventually done), and you will see what happened there. I don’t want the media funded from there again.

“Meet the Chief of Staff and let him design how we would be funding media.

“The next day, I went to see the COS in the office. I had just started talking, when he impatiently started to say: ‘No, no, no. Media is not funded from here. Media is not funded from here.’ He would not even give me a chance to talk. And lest I appear as someone just after funding, for what I would gain, I left his office and never went back to the President. For the first five years, the media did not receive one naira, till the SGF, Boss Mustapha, heard about it and designed a budget line from his office.

“It was not up to what was required, but it was better than nothing. Third encounter. A retired General, someone well respected in the country, had wanted to see the President.

“Many times, he applied through the office of COS, which is the proper channel. He never got feedback. So he phoned and asked me to intervene since the issue he wanted to discuss was quite serious. I went to the President, and mentioned the General, and why he needed to come see him.

“The President just said: ‘Tell SCOP to schedule him for 8:00 pm tomorrow in the house.’ I passed on the word and left for my office. I had not been seated for five minutes when my intercom rang. It was the COS who wanted me to come to his office.

“He started screaming as I entered: ‘Why did you get an appointment for Gen..? Why did you? You always go behind me to relate with the President. You have to stop it.’

“Remember the President’s instructions to me the day I resumed work: ‘Do not let anybody stop you from seeing me. Anytime you need to see me, just come.’ I never abused that rain check but went to see the President only when it was totally necessary, throughout the eight years. And he was always gracious to me.

“But apparently, it became an issue with Malam Abba, so we were not quite chummy, but we were also not enemies.”

SaharaReporters

Late Abba Kyari Prevented Me From Seeing Buhari, Left Me Without Funds For Five Years Till His Death – Femi Adesina.

Hmmm

I don't believe you sir

Okay ooo... And after his demise that you gained access; what did the average Nigerian gain?

His death must have been a welcome relief for you then.

Mallam Abba was becoming to powerful for his master and either nature or nurture took him out quietly.

Lesson: Be humble when bestowed with the position of service

He even stopped Asiwaju and his people from calling on phone .. coming to villa.. talking to the then President for 3 good years.. before “Tunde “ took over.

Gbaja is the new kyari.. he breaks appointments with the President. Even the ones that Tinubu personally booked.. he will call his friend for important details.. gbaja will quash it.. while smiling.
... all in the name of dealing with the North”.

We’ve been there and we’ve see this plenty of times.

Funny how he speaks Yoruba to everyone in the villa and if you don’t respond well.. hehehe.. Na you know
.. the press knows all this.. they’re here in villa.. but same Ibadan road press that wrote down kyari are keeping mute on gbaja..

E no concern us oh .. honestly Buhari started it.. but Yoruba won’t wail.. when another takes over and does same..

Imagine Obi as President doing same

Dem go burn Lagos... but who cares

Stewpid journalist.He denied you from stealing public funds.

You are part of what we are witnessing now and everyone should be worried about the current situation now

Pastor whey dey lie.
So how was his office funded for the 5years kyari refused to release funds?From Adesina's pocket and he didn't have aides in his office for the 5 years?
If he did who later approved it?

You can say anything against the dead. They cannot reply back.

matify83:
His death must have been a welcome relief for you then.

Mallam Abba was becoming to powerful for his master and either nature or nurture took him out quietly.

Lesson: Be humble when bestowed with the position of service

Did you see the next chief of staff after Abba Kyari?

Ibrahim Gambari from Ilorin, he was on a low key throughout buhari's tenure

I guess he must have been advised by his pple and also learned one or two things from his predecessor's demise

The things this man expects us to believe.