Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state was on Tuesday caught on camera sleeping while President Muhammadu Buhari was addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
However, a statement by Crusoe Osagie, the special adviser to the governor on media and communication strategy, said Mr Obaseki’s ‘momentary’ sleep was as a result of flight fatigue and natural exhaustion.
“Our attention has been drawn to a mischievous campaign designed to smear the image of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Governor Obaseki.
“The disparagers have populated the internet with photographs of the governor when he momentarily succumbed to fatigue after a long flight, preceded by a chaotic itinerary in Edo State before heading to New York for the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, in the United States of America.
“The idle hands and mischievous minds behind the smear campaign against governor Obaseki are clearly not people to be taken seriously.”
Mr Osagie said the internet is awash with photographs of outstanding world leaders who have at one time or the other yielded to fatigue at meetings.
Highlighting his work schedule prior to the trip, Mr Osagie said despite Mr Obaseki’s rare work culture, unmatched by his peers, “we have never portrayed him as a machine.”
