Garba Shehu: Presidency has nothing to do with Na’Abba’s invitation by DSS

Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, says the presidency has nothing to do with the invitation extended to Ghali Na’Abba, a former speaker of the house of representatives, by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The DSS had invited Na’Abba after he made critical comments about the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a television broadcast, Na’Abba had said Nigeria is now a failed state, listing unemployment, insecurity, economic hardship as some of the factors that have shown that the present administration “is incompetent”.

Many had linked the action of the secret police to Na’Abba’s criticism of the government, with the Coalition of Northern Groups, accusing the Buhari administration of being intolerant of criticism.

But in a statement, Shehu said the invitation has nothing to do with the president, asking Nigerians to ignore what he described as Na’Abba’s publicity stunt.

The presidential spokesman added that the former speaker’s “irresponsible utterances” did not catch the attention of the president and that he should “distance the presidency from the situation he has found himself and sort himself out accordingly.”

“The Presidency urges the general public to ignore as a publicity stunt publicity, the widely circulated reports alleging that former Speaker Umar Ghali Na’Abba has been invited by the Department of State Service over his alleged comments on President Buhari,” Shehu said.

“Our findings have revealed that his invitation has nothing to do with the alleged irresponsible utterances by Umar Ghali Na’Abba, which in any case did not catch the attention of the Presidency, or of any serious politician for that matter.

“There are serious politicians who talk, and the Presidency responds because such politicians throw jibes which must get attention.

“Flash in the pan politicians and those who fabricate political relevance don’t bother anyone. We advise Na’Abba to distance the Presidency from the situation he has found himself and sort himself out accordingly.”