By Ovie Okpare
The Presidency on Wednesday denied that an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari tested positive to the coronavirus.
It stated that those who work around the Presidency in line with the COVID-19 protocols are routinely tested for the virus.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, made the clarification in a statement issued to journalists.
Shehu in the statement titled, ‘Ignore scaremongers -Presidency’, disclosed that the routine check was based on directive of doctors and scientists.
The statement was in reaction to a report which claimed the President’s Senior Special Assistant, Social Affairs and Domestic Matters, Sarki Abba, had contracted the virus.
“The Presidency wishes to advise Nigerians to ignore determined agents of fake news bent on spreading false stories to the public.
“We react to the utter falsehood and disgraceful lies, a report by so-called digital newspaper which, Wednesday, claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide, Sarki Abba is COVID-19 positive.
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“This report is sheer fabrication and brazen effort by the online news medium to mislead the public.”
According to Shehu, Abba had always tested negative to previous tests including a recent one conducted on officials of the Presidency.
He said, “Upon the directive of doctors and scientists and supervision of Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, all staff working for and around the President, are routinely and rigorously checked for the virus.
“The Senior Special Assistant, Social Affairs and Domestic Matters, Sarki Abba, always tested negative.
“The general public is hereby advised to ignore such stories that are intended to mislead the people and create unnecessary anxiety about the safety of the President.”
