United States President, Donald Trump, referred to his Nigerian counterpart, Muhammadu Buhari, as “lifeless” shortly after a meeting between the two leaders on April 30, Financial Times reported on Monday.
Buhari, the first sub-Saharan Africa president to meet Trump after he was sworn in January 2017 as the 45th American president, was in the US for bilateral talks on Trump’s invitation.
Despite Trump publicly praising Buhari for his fight against corruption and economic recovery effort, the American leader reportedly said he never wanted to meet someone as lifeless as the Nigerian leader again, Financial Times reported citing three persons familiar with the matter.
Nigerians reacted to the report on Twitter, with many of them aligning with Trump.
So Trump called Buhari Lifeless. Wow, somebody that trekked 800km? Just wow
— Olukayode #AFC (@kgeorgeofficial) August 27, 2018
🛑 CAUTION 🛑
A New Phrase is in Town,
As “Lifeless” as Buhari.
— S.F. Adebayo 🇳🇬 (@Sam_Debayo) August 27, 2018
The problem here isn’t that Trump thinks ill of Buhari. Heck, most of us do.
The problem is that it has become public info! We don’t have to like Buhari or think highly of him, but because of his office (WHICH MUST BE RESPECTED), we should not tolerate statements like Trump’s.
— HRH Ada N’eri Ukwu Anụ 👑 (@cremechic11) August 27, 2018
I don’t care what Donald Trump called Buhari, I care about what Buhari thinks about the rule of law. That has a greater effect on me.
— B (@bbellgam) August 27, 2018
Trump must’ve gathered information about Buhari’s health status from UK hospital for him to have referred him as ‘lifeless’.
Trump just confirmed what we’ve been saying in this country.
Nigerians it’s left for to decide whether you want a lifeless president by 2019.
— CONFIDENCE (@realNCNC) August 27, 2018
#asedeyhappen Buhari is Lifelessly Lifeless pic.twitter.com/EMauSGANXU
— ☀The Radiant Pikin🌷 (@GeraldOkparah) August 27, 2018
Obama lied!!!
He told us that buhari was doing a great job.
But Trump who is not given to political correctness said it as it is…that the man Obama said was doing a great job is almost lifeless.
— Ejalen Idahosa (@Idahosa_1) August 27, 2018
If President Buhari gets half the insults Donald Trump gets daily, he’d have committed suicide.
Trump is bashed left, right & centre by Americans & d rest of the world. His only response is “Fake News”
As for Buhari, he uses EFCC, Police & DSS to deal with his perceived Enemies— Highbee (@highbeely) August 27, 2018
Seems Donald Trump wasn’t so impressed with meeting “ailing 75-year old Muhammadu Buhari in April” according to this @FT article https://t.co/er3pYgY0vN pic.twitter.com/uY7iMcYnXv
— EDWARD Israel-Ayide (@wildeyeq) August 27, 2018
“lifeless” the person is alive but dead is preferable! 😃😃😃😃😃 The truth is bitter!!!
😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆Never again with buhari 2019!!! pic.twitter.com/N4l1VfzXIt— John Grace (@JohnGra60799908) August 27, 2018
Trump running to meet General Kelly, Stephen Miller and co inside the Oval Office after seeing Buhari off pic.twitter.com/GUrsiPxLLc
— Wodu Wakiri The Wag (@Oddy4real) August 27, 2018
Buhari went abroad to call us criminals and lazy. So, if Trump calls him lifeless, nothing spoil.
— Faisal (@JajaPhD) August 27, 2018
If Donald Trump legit called Mohammed Buhari “Lifeless”… I am proud of him cos no one has used a better descriptive word to describe his Excellency. 🤣🤣
— Ferdinand (@Burmese_Tyga) August 27, 2018
Saraki told Trump to call Buhari lifeless.
Saraki must be impeached.
Saraki is not good for our Democratic experience. pic.twitter.com/SPZMXUTEqO
— B O L A N L E. C 🇳🇬 (@bolanle_cole) August 27, 2018
Trump’s meeting with Buhari in April 2018 was reportedly not a success David Pilling reveals in an explosive Financial Times article. Trump said after the meeting with Buhari, he was not ready to meet someone so lifeless as Buhari again. pic.twitter.com/RGf3guG5ma
— ThankGod Ukachukwu (@kcnaija) August 27, 2018
Trump reportedly called Buhari “lifeless”. Again, perhaps if Aso Rock was more forthcoming about the nature of his illness (and the medical prognosis) there’d be more understanding https://t.co/7wemqaeNuw
— Phil Hazlewood (@philhazlewood) August 27, 2018
If the leader of the Free World can’t stand @MBuhari and believes that he is absolutely ‘lifeless’, can Nigeria expect any cooperation from the West with Buhari in charge. We need an assertive leader who can look Trump in the eye and say NO! Buhari is not that leader #RenosDarts
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) August 27, 2018
It is really sad that President Buhari has brought so much shame to our country and the continent of Africa by all his actions since 2015. President Donald Trump just confirmed what we have been saying.
Nothing beats imagination than Buhari trying to seek 2nd term.
— Adeyanju Deji 🇳🇬 (@adeyanjudeji) August 27, 2018
I don’t even have a problem with whatever Donald Trump says because he is known to say the silliest of things.
However, I will have issues with right-thinking Nigerians who will trumpet the garbage he says about Nigeria or its President, Buhari.
— Adebayo Bankole Akintunde (@AdeBanqie) August 27, 2018
Anyone remember when I tweeted that the Western Media who made Buhari in 2015 are coming after him as 2019 approaches? We have just started seeing it. More coming. Watch out for Amanpour and her crew!
— Jackson Ude (@jacksonpbn) August 27, 2018
Every US President has access to high-level, top-secret, intelligence reports on major situations around the world. Rather than laugh at @realDonaldTrump‘s calling of President Buhari “lifeless”, we should ask if there’s something he knows that the citizens of Nigeria don’t. pic.twitter.com/TYeHzaaP6k
— Henry Shield (@henryshield) August 27, 2018
