The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, has denied claims that cabals are powerful people controlling President Muhammadu Buhari in key decision making.

Shehu, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday said contrary to beliefs that cabals manipulate the President, they are respectable Nigerians who deserve respect because they have achieved a lot.

The presidential aide who accused Nigerians of coining the words recalled that people believed former Presidents Umaru Yar’adua and Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinets were influenced by cabals.

“A lot of people who are being dragged into this cabal thing, they are respectable Nigerians who have achieved a lot for themselves and for the nation. They are not there as hungry people who are there to grab things for themselves,” he said.

Shehu who noted that it is a privilege appointed into the President’s cabinet said one wouldn’t have been chosen by the President if not for trust.

He, therefore, warned Nigerians not to brand people cabals simply because they offered to serve the nation by being close to the President.

“Nigerians have formed the practice by labelling people that are in some advisable positions of the President as a cabal.

“People (cabals) should not be labelled negatively simply because they have offered themselves to support the President of this country,” he stated.

His comments come less than a week he reportedly said there is nothing wrong in having ‘cabals’ around the President Buhari in the daily running of the government.