The late Abba Kyari and former presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina had a tense relationship from the day he was named the first Chief of Staff (CoS) to former President Muhammadu Buhari, according to Adesina's disclosure of the behind-the-scenes machinations. Even though Kyari was only following Buhari's instructions after becoming his spokesperson, Adesina said in his latest book, "Working with Buhari: reflections of a Special Adviser, Media, and Publicity (2015–2023)," that Kyari objected to his direct contact with the president.
Abba Kyari
In the book, he stated that Kyari, the presidential villa's main administrative officer, refused to give the media office the operational money that was required under earlier administrations and that this denial continued for five years until his death. He further disclosed that, in spite of the president's consent, Kyari had obstructed his attempts to hire staff for the media section. "But for some reason, me and him did not quite hit it off," the ex-aide to the president wrote. I made an effort to treat him with respect and establish a cordial working relationship, but he was a fairly distant individual.
Femi Adesina: "Why Abba Kyari fought me till death" January 23, 2024 Five minutes for reading peruse An Femi Adesina, a former presidential spokesperson The late Abba Kyari and former presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina had a tense relationship from the day he was named the first Chief of Staff (CoS) to former President Muhammadu Buhari, according to Adesina's disclosure of the behind-the-scenes machinations. Even though Kyari was only following Buhari's instructions after becoming his spokesperson, Adesina said in his latest book, "Working with Buhari: reflections of a Special Adviser, Media, and Publicity (2015–2023)," that Kyari objected to his direct contact with the president.
In the book, he stated that Kyari, the presidential villa's main administrative officer, refused to give the media office the operational money that were required under earlier administrations, and that this denial continued for five years until his death. He further disclosed that, in spite of the president's consent, Kyari had obstructed his attempts to hire staff for the media section. "But for some reason, me and him did not quite hit it off," the ex-aide to the president wrote. He was a bit of an aloof guy, so I made an effort to treat him with respect and establish a cordial working relationship. We merely worked at a distance since he was uncommunicative and I also tended to be distant, especially when there was warmth from the other person.
"Many things were said about him and his approach to governance, but one thing that cannot be disputed about Malam Abba, as he was commonly called, is his fervent devotion to the President."Anyone who loved Buhari would forgive all of his transgressions in my eyes. They would be as white as snow if they were as crimson. And they will resemble wool if they are as scarlet as crimson. Though I pray for Malam Kyari's soul, there are three things he did that deepened our rift.I had sent a document to the President in June 2015 suggesting that a few individuals be hired as Media Department employees.
They had gone through the campaign and struggles with us and pedestaled 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 when he appointed one, so it would be on record. Fair enough.
The President sent the memo to the COS upon the appointment of an SGF and COS. Likewise in sequence. But for the following year, Malam Kyari did nothing but sit on it. He remained silent about it. "In the end, Garba Shehu, one of my coworkers, visited him. And he admitted to Shehu that I had brought the document straight to the President, which is why he rejected it. However, it was obvious that it was June. At that time, he wasn't even appointed.
The second concerned the Media Department's financing. There was no designated budget line; instead, money was often given as needed by the NSA office. Dr. Reuben Abati and Ima Niboro, two of my predecessors, had briefed me before I made my consultations. In the world, media and PR are not cheap, yet you would be amazed at how much we managed to do without spending a single penny during a five-year period. I went to meet with the newly appointed NSA and briefed him on how PR was often sponsored from his office. It was a Friday, and he vowed to do whatever it took to help the guy we had come to serve and me succeed.
The NSA entered my office with both hands up exactly one week after the Jumat service. I enquired as to what was wrong. He informed me that he had obtained a note from the President specifying that his office was to be used for funding nothing at all, with the exception of security. Given that, I could no longer hold him to the commitment he had given me.
"I replied I would see the President and thanked him. I also did. There in the home, that very night. I recall that the only people waiting to meet him were General Dambazau and me. My elder buddy and I discussed the reason for my visit with him.That after more than three months, funding for media and PR had not yet been provided startled him.When he inquired about our method, I said that Shehu and I were employing goodwill. "The President acknowledged that he issued the directive and provided an explanation when I met with him and told him about my experience with the NSA." The previous president is quoted in the book as saying:
"A lot of work was done through the NSA office, and no records were kept." That is not what I desire. We'll start an investigation into the office's operations (which was finally completed), and you'll witness what transpired there. I want the media to stop receiving funding from that source. Let the Chief of Staff decide how we would finance the media when you meet with him.
He added that after thanking Buhari, he was going to leave. Adesina continues her story by saying, "I went to visit the COS at the office the next day. He began to repeat, "No, no, no," angrily, as soon as I opened my mouth to speak. Nothing in the media is financed here. This does not fund the media. He refused to even give me an opportunity to speak. And I left his office, never to return to the President, lest I seem like someone who was only looking for funds for what I would gain. Before the SGF, Boss Mustapha, learned about it and created a budget line from his office, the media received nothing for the first five years.
"Although it fell short of the requirements, it was still better than nothing."Third meeting. The President had been requested to visit by a highly esteemed retired general in the nation. He frequently applied through the COS office, which is the appropriate route. He never heard back. He called me, explaining that the matter he wished to address was very important, and urged me to step in. I went to the President and explained to him why the General should come visit him.The President just said: ‘Tell SCOP to schedule him for 8:00 pm tomorrow in the house.’
After spreading the news, I headed to my workplace. My intercom rang after five minutes of not sitting down. The COS was the one who requested that I visit his office.As soon as I walked in, he began to shout, asking, "Why did you get an appointment for Gen.." For what reason did you? You constantly trail after me when speaking with the President. You must put an end to it. "Recall what the President told me the day I started working again: "Do not allow anyone to prevent you from seeing me." Come see me whenever you need to.
Throughout the eight years, I never misused that rain check and only visited the President when absolutely required. Additionally, he was always kind to me.However, it seems that it created a problem with Malam Abba, so although we weren't exactly friendly, we weren't adversaries either.Malam Abba was tragically among the many deserving people who perished during the deadly coronavirus outbreak that struck in 2019 and lasted for the majority of the next two years. It had a profound effect on me.
