Femi Adesina: Those who call Buhari a bigot don’t know him — he respects other religions

Femi Adesina, ex-spokesperson to former President Muhammadu Buhari, says those who described his principal as a “bigot” do not know him.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, Adesina described Buhari as a fair-minded personality.

Earlier on Tuesday, Adesina launched a book “Working with Buhari: Reflections of A Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023)”, in Abuja.

The book launch was attended by Buhari, President Bola Tinubu, former Buhari’s political appointees and other stakeholders.

During the administration of Buhari, some Nigerians described him as a “bigot” due to the perceived lopsidedness in his appointments.

While defending his principal during the interview, Adesina said a lot of people have different narratives about the personality of Buhari.

He noted that his book was written to showcase the “real and true” Buhari.

The former presidential spokesperson said Buhari does not impose his religion on others.

“A lot of people have different perspectives and narratives about former President Muhammadu Buhari depending on what they think they know and what they think they were exposed to about him,” Adesina said.

“That is why I thought the book was necessary so that the real and the true Muhammadu Buhari can be known.

“He is a patriot; somebody who loves Nigeria dearly,  and a fair-minded man. Those who call him nepotist and bigot don’t know him. A man who will never seek to impose his own religion on you and will respect your own religion.

“I devoted a good part of my book to that. When my mother died in 2013, I invited him to the Commendation Service in Lagos, he was not president then, he flown all the way from Kaduna to Lagos to attend a Christian programme. He stayed throughout.

“Yet, some people will say he is a religious bigot. A bigot will never enter a worship house that is not his own religion. And they say he is a nepotist, I have never seen it.”