The unidentified man who charged towards President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday has apologised for the misunderstanding that trailed his action, saying it was an act driven by his love for the president.
The man who has been identified as Mohammed Jamilu Gunddare is from Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi state, a graduate of Public Administration from Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto.
Mr Buhari had visited Kebbi State for a function yesterday and posed to take group photographs when the Gunddare interrupted the process.
Explaining, the development, the presidency said the man went for a handshake with Buhari when security personnel aborted the mission.
Addressing the media on Friday, Gunddare corroborated the position of the presidency while apologising for his action.
He confirmed that he was an excited fan of the President who broke protocol & wanted to have a handshake with him.
While addressing the media on Friday in Birnin Kebbi, Gundarre said:
“My name is Mohammed Jamilu Gunddare from Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi state.
“Yesterday was a different day for me because as a graduate of Public Administration who graduated with 2nd Class Lower, It took me a lot of courage and dreams to attempt to get to Mr President despite the fact that there was tight security architecture within the venue.
“I am sorry for the disturbances I caused it was emotional love I have for Mr President the person whom I know is nurtured with integrity and honesty and he is incorruptible and right driven.
“No Nigerian and even beyond has never questioned the consistency and integrity honesty and righteous disposition of the President on either national issue or even his own personal life.
“He has worked as Military Administrator, Minister, Military Head of State and civilian President by all accounts no case of corruption had been attributable to him.
“From the time he became the President no one has ever questioned whether the national resources was squandered by the President,’ he said.
Gundarre stressed that he had no ulterior motive when he attempted to move close to the President and shake him during a photo session at the agriculture show, one of the events for the 2020 Argungu fishing festival. He said he was simply overwhelmed by the President’s virtues and raved to shake hi..
‘Even if I was dead yesterday I would have been contented that I have achieved my mission to move close to Mr President and touch him one on one.
“You know that emotional love can divert and taint your total faculty of reasoning and that was what really happened yesterday, “ he said in an emotion laden tone.
Gundarre clarified: “I was told about the misinterpretation of my action in the media although I was not opportuned to view the clip. “Please, I am alive, the DSS did not torture me, nobody has tortured me apart from what happened at the venue when I was forced to the car”.
He said he had met the Kebbi state Governor Atiku Bagudu in 2010 when he was a Senator and it has not been easy for him to have access to the Governor. 30 year-old Gundarre also claimed that he was not a beggar, though currently unemployed.
He said he was comfortable and believed in working hard to fend for himself and the family.
“When the DSS got to my house, they even asked me who built the house for me.
“I have always believe that by struggle I can achieve anything,’ he said. He appealed to the President not to derail in his good work at repositioning the country for the better.
Also speaking at the event, Bagudu said it was a good thing that Gundarre came out to clarified on what happened Argungu.
“I am glad that you have all heard from him and we are honoured to meet him.
“I want to assure him that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and I will inform the President about him.
“We will also beg the President to grant an audience for him, so that he can visit him and shake hands with him as one of his loyal supporters,’ he said.
The Governor presented a book written in honour of the President to Gundarre.
Speaking in the same vein the Minister said that Gundarre is a young man who is passionate about the President.
“From what you can see this is a gentleman who has followed the President’s political career a long time and passionate about him.
‘He breached protocol yesterday, there is no doubt about that.
‘However, all the story about him trying to attack the President is false, even the story that he was shot by the security is false,” the Minister said.
