BREAKING NEWS, Politics
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Femi Adesina, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari, acknowledges visits of former presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo to Aso Rock Presidential Villa, but assures that the government’s war on corruption remains on course
FORMER presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo were both separately in Aso Rock to see President Muhammadu Buhari for some undisclosed reasons. Former President Jonathan was there on Thursday, August 6, while Obasanjo visited on Friday, August 7. Reasons for their visits were not disclosed, but the Presidency said their private visits were not aimed at stopping Buhari’s anti-corruption war.
The clarification was made by the Presidency following insinuations in various parts of the country that the private visits of the two former leaders to President Buhari were aimed at protecting their personal interests in the ongoing probe by the Buhari administration.
It was the first visit by former President Jonathan since he handed over to Buhari on May 29. The visit was not publicised until the rumours making the rounds that former president was trying to truncate the ongoing corruption investigations against the immediate past government.
Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, confirmed Jonathan’s visit on Sunday, August 9. He also confirmed Obasanjo’s visit to the villa on Friday, which was also keep in secret. The Obasanjo visit was also alleged to have been after working hours when the president had retired to the residence.
Adesina claimed ignorance of the details of the meetings with both former leaders. But he said it was not to derail the ongoing corruption inquires.
The speculation around Obasanjo was linked to the visit of for Turai Yar’Adua, former first lady’s visit to residence of former president in Abeokuta, two weekends ago. Yar’adua’s daughter, Zainab Dakingari, is currently being investigated by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for alleged corruption. Dakingari was the immediate past first lady of Kebbi State.
Obasanjo had in the past played a benefactor role to the Yar‘Aduas and paved the way for the late Umaru Yar’Adua to become his successor in 2007 though the relationship between the two families, later deteriorated.
— Aug 10, 2015 @ 11:40 GMT
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