A frontline human rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety), has expressed reservations over the reported conversation between President Donald Trump of the United States of America and Nigeria’s ailing President Muhammadu Buhari who is on medical vacation in London.

The group, in a statement issued on Monday night in Onitsha by its Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi; and Head, Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law Programme, Barr. Obianuju Igboeli, accused the Nigerian Presidency of lying. “Of all the trending and unfolding dramas associated with the whereabouts and true health status of President Muhammadu Buhari, the latest is gravely disturbing and diplomatically weighty; capable of causing serious diplomatic rows between Nigeria and the new Donald Trump Administration in Washington; if found to be an extension of trending presidential falsehood,” Intersociety said.

It observed that “all leading local and foreign news media were hours ago awash with news of Trump speaking with Muhammadu Buhari and inviting him to Washington at a mutually convenient date.

“In the said telephone discussion, President Trump was further quoted as encouraging President Buhari to keep up the good work he is doing; commended Buhari for his efforts made in rescuing 24 of the Chibok Girls and the strides being taken by the Nigerian military. Both leaders were also quoted as discussed ways to improve cooperation in the fight against terrorism through provision of necessary equipment.

“President Trump was further quoted as assuring the Nigerian President of US readiness to cut a new deal in helping Nigeria in terms of military weapons to combat terrorism. (Sources: Daily Trust and Vanguard Newspapers, February 13, 2017).”

Intersociety believes that the claims “may most likely have been presidentially corrupted and made an extension of trending presidential falsehood in Nigeria and expanded into presidential falsehood across borders. The referenced statements are also grossly one-sided, circumstantially untenable, diplomatically blundered and grossly un-Trump-like.”

According to the group, “Such diplomatic conversations can only take place between two mentally coherent and bodily agile Presidents. If the Nigerian President is that bodily agile and mentally coherent, why is he not on seat in Nigeria? Not even the defence of ‘doctors’ advice and results of medical tests’ can keep a hale and hearty President off his presidential seat for three weeks running, if he is truly hale and hearty, to the extent of having such weighty diplomatic conversations with the world No. 1 President at this point in time. The same new US President said to be calling President Buhari was factually seen globally receiving the Prime Minister of Canada at the White House and at the same time or hour of the purported long diplomatic conversations with President Buhari.

“Common sense and circumstances have also made mockery of the authenticity that would have been attached to such diplomatic conversations. The aspect of diplomatic calls to President Buhari from President Donald Trump at this point in time, if true, can only be pitiable or sympathetic calls and on health grounds. This is owing to the fact that all is not well with President Muhammadu Buhari wherever he is; leading to his transfer of presidential powers and functions to his Vice President. Since there is a coherent acting President on seat in Nigeria, such weighty diplomatic calls should have been appropriately directed to the acting President.

“Circumstances may most likely not have been ripe for new President Donald Trump to say those things Deacon Femi Adesina credited to him. Most importantly and strikingly, the statements under reference are monolithic in source; having only come from the mouth of Mr. Femi Adesina, who is co-enmeshed in trending presidential falsehood and associated dramas in Nigeria concerning the true whereabouts and health status of President Muhammadu Buhari.

"In all, we at Intersociety make bold to say that presidential falsehood in Nigeria may most likely have gone beyond borders in the subject matter under advocacy discussion. This is more so when some APC chieftains said to have gone to meet President Muhammadu Buhari in London have just debunked going to meet with him.

“Unless the authorities of the White House and the United States Department of State speak in concurrence and authoritatively from Washington DC; confirming all that Mr. Femi Adesina said President Trump said to President Muhammadu Buhari, otherwise we ask all Nigerians to ignore the statements or accept them with a pinch of salt. Not even a concurrence statement from the US Embassy in Nigeria can expressly be convincing and acceptable to all and sundry.

“This is because of the likelihood of the Embassy being contaminated by trending presidential virus or falsehood, or in the name of ‘diplomatic pressures’. Funny enough, the same Mr. Femi Adesina that barely knows where his boss is or visits or joins him wherever he is, has suddenly appeared in the presence of his boss to record what he discussed with President Donald Trump.”

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