Buhari’s visit to Germany not a medical trip – Okorocha

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State on Sunday dismissed the allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari’s three-day visit to Germany was more of a medical trip than official engagements.

Okorocha, who was part of the president’s entourage to Berlin, Germany, was reacting to media interview granted by a Kano-based social commentator, Dr Junaid Muhaamed.

Muhammed had alleged that Buhari visited Germany on Friday to seek medical attention over an undisclosed illness.

Okorocha, who spoke to State House correspondents in Abuja, however, debunked the allegation, saying that the official engagements of Buhari in Germany, had no connection, whatsoever, with medication.

He said the visit to Germany only ended on a compassionate note on Saturday with the president’s convoy veering off its way back to the airport in Berlin, to visit a Nigerian military officer receiving treatment in a Berlin hospital.

“President never went for any medical check-up. At least I was with him till 1.00a.m, after the dinner before I left him and he went to bed.

“I went to bed and the following day I came out to see him in the morning. So, the president never went for any medical at all. The only hospital we went to was to see a general who had an accident.

“These are some of the things that people make uninformed comments and I do not know why in this part of our world we are always happy when someone is going down. I think there is need to change our attitude completely.

“If this issue had been on issue on how to move Nigeria forward, you won’t see on social media, you will not see comment on it, nobody will talk about it,’’ he said.

On the content of the President’s wife BBC interview and the subsequent reply by Buhari, he said Aisha did not grant the interview to bring down her husband as being insinuated in some quarters.

He equally maintained that the president’s reaction to the interview was just on a lighter mood, saying that Buhari was only cracking jokes.

Okorocha, who narrated how his wife once joined some commissioners and workers in Imo to condemn certain official decision he took, said Aisha’s comments were not meant to disrespect the president or the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said her comments were targeted at making peace with perceived aggrieved members of the APC.

“If you have been with the person of the President and where he cracks jokes, you will understand with me that it could be his style of jokes because even when he was responding, he was smiling, I don’t think the meaning that is given to it is what it is.

“If not, why would he have his five daughters having Masters and Ph.Ds and his wife educated and putting women in key positions in the country, I don’t think it is.

“Aisha Buhari, who granted the interview did not give that interview to bring down her husband’s government.

“She was only trying to make peace among perceived aggrieved members in the polity.

“I have situations where my wife joins commissioners and my workers to condemn what I do, that does not mean she is fighting me, rather a bridge of peace between me and them.’’