Oyo State Governor, South West Nigeria Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, has advised citizens of the country to continue to pray for the well-being of President Muhammadu Buhari and leaders in other levels of government instead of peddling unfounded rumours about them.
The governor gave the advice in an interview with journalists while dispelling the rumour on the president’s alleged ill-health shortly on his return from an official trip to Abuja.
Ajimobi said that he was in Abuja for a scheduled meeting with World Bank officials, stressing that no governor was invited to any imaginary meeting to discuss the health status of the country’s leader as being speculated.
Ajimobi said, “There is no iota of truth in the rumour making the rounds that governors were summoned to Abuja for an emergency meeting to discuss the health status of our dear President. We should desist from circulating callous insinuations aimed at denting the image of prominent citizens.
“Instead of peddling unfounded rumours, I will advise Nigerians to continue to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders, including governors, because their well-being is tied to the well-being of the people.
“The rigours of governance require that leaders take time off to relax and recoup for the daunting challenges ahead of them. We should be fair to our leaders, because they are also human beings with feelings.
“It is pertinent to state here that the President only went for a break and to use the opportunity to undergo routine medical check-up. To the best of my knowledge he was not even admitted into any hospital for any ailment.
“There is nothing wrong with the President taking some time off to rest and meet with some people abroad unofficially. I’m reaffirming the fact that our President is hale and hearty.”
Recalling the negative comments that trailed his recent interaction with the protesting students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, in the social media, the governor said it was high time the medium was regulated to forestall its abuse for the good of all.
Acknowledging the importance of the new media for social mobilization and creation of awareness on development issues, policies and other positive intents, he said the medium was also being abused by some individuals.
Ajimobi said, “The social media is a veritable platform to disseminate developmental ideas, policies, mobilization for good intent as well as for entertainment, but some people would always hijack good innovations to destroy the peace and harmony of the country.
“The social media was recently used by the fifth columnists to do a smear campaign against me when they doctored the video where I was conversing with the LAUTECH students on the impasse between them and their management.
“Something drastic must be done before those who have good intentions for the people will be running away from politics just because they would fear some people would be somewhere lurking to unleash the social media on them for imaginary reasons.”