President Buhari’s wife relocates to Aso Rock ahead of husband

The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has relocated to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, barely three weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was inaugurated.

Since they were inaugurated, Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo have been operating from outside the Presidential Villa.

This is despite the fact that both men have their official residences and offices inside the Villa.

They have both been operating from their private residences as well as the Defence House, official residence of the President-elect located at Maitama District, Abuja.

It was gathered that Mrs. Buhari formally relocated to the Presidential Villa on Thursday at a time when her husband was out of Abuja.

“Hajia (Buhari) arrived here (Presidential Villa) with her entourage at about 6pm on Thursday. She had relocated ahead of her husband. She passed the night here,” a Presidency official reported.

Another Presidency official said that the President is expected to join his wife next week.

Buhari had departed Abuja for Kaduna on Tuesday shortly after he arrived from South Africa where he took part in the just-concluded 25th Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.

He proceeded from Kaduna to his hometown, Daura, in Katsina State.
Buhari is expected back in Abuja from the journey described as “private trips” this weekend.

“The President is expected back this weekend. He will be expected to join his wife here on his arrival,” the source added.

Upon his formal relocation to the Presidential Villa, Buhari is expected to operate for the first time from his office on Monday.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said that ongoing renovation work was hindering Buhari from moving into the Presidential Villa.

He said,
“As far as the President is concerned, the place (his official residence) is not ready yet. Workers are cleaning and refurbishing the place. Once the exercise is completed, the President will move in.”

Punch

There’s A Limit To What I Can Do At 72 – Buhari Speaks

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has expressed regrets that he did not become the president at a younger age as there is a limit to what he can do at the age of 72. He made the assertion on Monday while addressing members of the Nigerian community in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he also vowed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will “kill” corruption in the country.

The president, who recalled his times as state governor, petroleum minister and military head of state, also explained that he repeatedly contested the presidency because of his belief in the practicability of conducting free and fair election in the country. He expressed confidence in the unity of the country, saying that even though there are some ‘crazy’ people who talk about the disintegration of the country, the country will never break up. Buhari stated:

“How I wish I became Head of State when I was a governor, just a few years as a young man. Now at 72, there is a limit to what I can do. “But what brought me there I think mainly is because I love this country. I was in the war front for 30 months during the civil war. I lost a lot of loyal people to me, I lost relatives. A lot of Nigerians did too. “We lost about two million Nigerians just to keep Nigeria one.

So, nobody should come now and tell us rubbish. We are going to remain one country. God has given us another opportunity to reorganise this country. Those who work hard, the society will pay them back.”

He said he had been told that there were 83 Nigerians in South African jails, disclosing that he would discuss the matter with President Jacob Zuma during his planned visit to Nigeria in the near future.

Buhari also revealed that he would inquire from the South African president about the whereabouts of the $9.7 million the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had transferred to South Africa for the botched arms purchase. The president added: “I refused to speak from this draft speech because I wanted to speak to you from the bottom of my heart.

Please, keep Nigeria’s pride close to your heart, make sure you behave yourselves. If you find yourselves here, obey their laws. Where you don’t obey their laws, you will have to bear the consequences. “I’m told they are 83 Nigerians in prison, I don’t know what they have done but I spoke to the President of South Africa this afternoon. He wants to come to Nigeria. There are issues he knows to talk about, I will certainly talk to him. “I hope our ambassador will send a comprehensive report about the court cases, about those who lost properties during the disturbances and at that time, I will attempt to ask him about our $9.7 million which was not correctly transferred.”

Okorocha Inaugurates 8th Imo Assembly With Charge To Make People- Oriented Laws

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State Thursday inaugurated the 27 members of the State House of Assembly as well as commissioned the newly renovated expansive Assembly complex.

The Governor in his address, charged the Lawmakers to put the interest of the people of the state above political and personal pursuits, urging them to justify the confidence reposed in them by the electorate.

According to him, “as you are sworn in, what should be uppermost in your mind should be the people. I urge you to make laws that will impact on the people. The Executive is willing to work with you. While you exercise your freedom as an independent Arm of government, you must remember the need to work together with the other Arms of government to move the State forward.

“I have the confidence that you will not let us down, you should do whatever you can do to justify this. We shall also be commissioning the remodelled complex, which is one of the best in the country”.

Meanwhile, Hon Acho Ihim, from Okigwe Local Government Area emerged the Speaker of the House, while Ugonna Ozuruigbo of Nwangele

Council Area, was elected Deputy Speaker.

Okorocha Inaugurates 8th Imo Assembly With Charge To Make People- Oriented Laws

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State Thursday inaugurated the 27 members of the State House of Assembly as well as commissioned the newly renovated expansive Assembly complex.

The Governor in his address, charged the Lawmakers to put the interest of the people of the state above political and personal pursuits, urging them to justify the confidence reposed in them by the electorate.

According to him, “as you are sworn in, what should be uppermost in your mind should be the people. I urge you to make laws that will impact on the people. The Executive is willing to work with you. While you exercise your freedom as an independent Arm of government, you must remember the need to work together with the other Arms of government to move the State forward.

“I have the confidence that you will not let us down, you should do whatever you can do to justify this. We shall also be commissioning the remodelled complex, which is one of the best in the country”.

Meanwhile, Hon Acho Ihim, from Okigwe Local Government Area emerged the Speaker of the House, while Ugonna Ozuruigbo of Nwangele

Council Area, was elected Deputy Speaker.

Governor Ambode Declares June 12 Public Holiday In Lagos

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday declared Friday, June 12 as a Work Free Day in commemoration of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections which was presumed to have been won by late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.

In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Habib Aruna, the governor said the date marked a watershed in the annals of transparent, free and fair elections in the country.

He said June 12, 1993 was the day Nigerians voted in one voice across ethnic, racial and religious lines, saying it represented the real democracy day when Nigerians said no to voting along ethnic lines.

The governor said regrettably, 22 years after the annulment, the Nigerian nation is still grappling with some of the vices which the June 12, 1993 elections sought to confine to the dustbin of history through undue clinging to ethnic cleavages by some political gladiators.

He urged residents to spend the day in sober reflection and in remembrance of the martyrs of the June 12 elections struggle in prayers for laying the foundation of the democracy which the nation is now enjoying.

Presidential Villa Undergoing Renovation [See Photos]

There’s ongoing renovation at the Presidential villa.

Presidency dismisses rumours on Buhari’s delayed relocation to Aso Villa

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to president Buhari, Shehu Garba released a statement yesterday describing as false, reports being circulated online that the reason Nigeria's new president hasn't relocated to Aso Villa was because he was advised by a Senegalese spiritualist not to do so for now. In the statement, Shehu said the report was embarrassing to say the least. He said the president is a Muslim who believes his fate belongs to God.