Femi Adesina, special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, says the young man who rushed towards the president at Argungu Fishing Festival in Kebbi state on Thursday wanted to shake hands with the president.
Security operatives had blocked the man from running in to Buhari who had posed for photographs with some dignitaries at the event.
The video of the incident has since gone viral, with some critics of the government saying the man had the intention of attacking Buhari.
Among those who pushed this narrative is Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister, who said the young man attempted to assault the president.
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Young man at Argungu today attempting to assault Buhari! That was a close shave….
Young man at Argungu today attempting to assault Buhari! That was a close shave…. pic.twitter.com/qCO4eshbhj
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) March 12, 2020
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But Adesina insisted that the man in question was excited to see the president and wanted to “walk straight to him for a handshake”.
“A young man was very excited to see his President at the Argungu fishing festival. He made to walk straight to him for a handshake. Security details prevented it. Now, opposite people are passing it off as an attempt to attack the President. How malicious can some people be!” he tweeted.
A young man was very excited to see his President at the Argungu fishing festival. He made to walk straight to him for a handshake. Security details prevented it. Now, opposite people are passing it off as an attempt to attack the President. How malicious can some people be!
Advertisement— Femi Adesina (@FemAdesina) March 12, 2020
Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, buttressed the point made by Adesina.
“I was not there but people who were there told me that he tried to reach the president out of excitement, but he didn’t know the security implication of such action,” he said over the phone.
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Buhari returned to Abuja after the incident.
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