Jamilu Guddare, the young man who rushed to shake hands with President Muhammadu Buhari has said his action was triggered by what he described as “pure love and affection” he has for the country’s number one citizen.
Guddare told journalists on Friday at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi while he was presented before Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, Commissioner of Police, state Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Mahmud Warra, and officials of the Department of State Security (DSS).
Guddare who was looking refreshed and unperturbed told journalists that his action at the venue of the Argungu fishing festival on Thursday was to demonstrate his love and affection for Buhari who he described as “an incorruptible leader, man of integrity who had never been found wanting through out his career and stewardship to Nigeria at all levels.”
Guddare said he was overwhelmed by his emotional love for President Buhari which inspired him to rush forward to greet the President without any ill feelings and plan to harm him.
He said he admitted breaching the protocol in doing so and begged the President and entire Nigerians to forgive him for his action.
He said contrary to some newspapers reports that he was shot and maltreated, he was treated courteously by security operatives.
He also said he has great respect for Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu whom he knew in 2010 during the public hearing on the constitutional amendment.
He commended officials of DSS for taking good care of him, instead of maltreating him over his action.
Governor Bagudu and Minister of Information acknowledged the deep and sincere love Guddare has for president Buhari pledging to seek the permission of Mr President to formally play host Jamilu so that he can satisfy his life ambition to meet him in person.
The governor while presenting a book written on Buhari to Guddare described him as an ‘ardent Buharist”.
“His exuberant attempt to greet the President was mistaken and against protocol and it created the wrong atmosphere,” Bagudu said.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed also reiterated that Guddare was a young man who was very passionate about the President.
He said, ”This is a gentleman who has followed the President, his political career for a long time. He only breached the protocol. His heart was pure and simple but all the stories he is trying to attack Mr President was false. Even the story that he was shot by the Police and DSS was false”.
Guddare has since been reunited with his family.
