Aso Rock ‘not undergoing spiritual cleansing’

Presidency has denied the report that President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to move into the presidential villa because it is undergoing “spiritual cleansing”.

Buhari has been operating from the defence house, the official residence of the president-elect, since his inauguration two weeks ago and the development has led to different speculations.

Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, described the speculations as an embarrassment to the president.

Shehu  said rumours are being circulated that some Senegalese spiritualists advised Buhari to keep off the villa for now.

“President Buhari is a practising Muslim who believes his fate belongs to God,” Shehu said in a statement.

“No true believer combines faith in God and reliance on the power of ordinary mortals, who can neither protect themselves, nor protect others from the hands of fate.

“The so-called spiritual cleansing of the Aso Rock Villa by Senegalese marabouts before President Buhari moves into the villa is the figment of the imagination of rumour mongers.

“Renovation works is largely responsible for the delay in Buhari’s movement into the villa.”