Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, was conspicuously absent at Friday night’s 80th birthday celebration for President Muhammadu Buhari, causing quite a stir in the Aso Villa.
Based on photos and videos released and shown about the impressive event, the First Lady was not in attendance and only the daughter of the President from his first marriage was featured, raising speculations and questions that it was either the so-called Aso Rock Cabal who planned the birthday may have left Madam Aisha and her children out of reckoning or she boycotted the event herself.
QUEST TIMES confirmed that Mallam Mamman Daura and Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe organized the event and asked Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika to be the Master of Ceremony. But sources say the First Lady was aware of the event lately but decided not to attend.
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Another source explained that Aisha Buhari could not attend because she was still recovering from a fall she suffered in the house while disciplining some of her former private staff. The fall led to a minor surgical procedure which may have kept her indoors.
It is no news that the relationship between the First Lady and members of the Aso Villa cabal, formerly led by the late Abba Kyari, had always been frosty.
The 80th birthday event which was tagged “Celebrating A Patriot, A Leader, An Elder Statesman” drew notable members of the Aso Rock cabal including Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura, classmate, Sen Abba Ali, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, and Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari. The event was also attended by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha and other members of the Federal Executive Council.
A statement by Mallam Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesperson, said the event featured a documentary, Essential Muhammadu Buhari, which according to him “set the stage for encomiums on Friday as family, friends and associates celebrated President Muhammadu Buhari on his 80th birthday, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying his place in history has been assured for integrity, transparency and transformative leadership.”
Garba noted that “the President was honored by family members and some close associates following his absence from the country on the day of his birthday, Saturday, December 17, 2022, in Washington DC, where he attended the US-African Summit, turning an octogenarian.”
According to him “the documentary, produced and directed by US based filmmaker, Ose Oyemadan, showcased the President’s early life, school days, military career, rise as Head of State in 1984, coup and imprisonment, release, PTF days and return to democracy, where he contested elections in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, when he won and his re-election in 2019.
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“The narrative was driven by the President, and supported with deep and authoritative insights by his nephew, Mamman Daura, classmate, Sen Abba Ali, close family members, friends, aides and political associates, including Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, FCT Minister of State, Ramatu Aliyu, Spokesman, Femi Adesina, former running mate in CPC, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Special Envoy to Chad, Amb, Babagana Kingibe, State Chief of Protocol, Lawal Kazaure, SGF, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari and publisher/biographer, John Paden.
“Speakers in the documentary underscored the President’s integrity, loyalty and commitment to national development, and his distaste for tribalism, laziness, insincerity and corruption.
“At the event, which was compered by Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, tributes poured from the Vice President, President Buhari’s eldest daughter, Hajiya Fatima Abba, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Oni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II and Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Hajeeb Hussain Adamu.
“Umahi and Amosun, who were in opposition party, PDP, told the gathering how the President’s warmth, friendliness and empathy attracted them to the All Progressives Congress, while the royal fathers recounted personal experiences, and how infrastructural development had touched the lives of Nigerians, like Lagos-Ibadan express way and the Second Niger Bridge.
“The night of tribute on the President’s 80th birthday was also witnessed by National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, Gov. Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State, Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, former Governors, Rotimi Amaechi and Adams Oshiomhole, service chiefs, ministers, political associates of the president, and family members.
“The business community was represented by Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabi’u Tope Shonubi, Faruk Adamu Aliyu, Nasiru Danu and others.”