The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has explained why she visited former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida and former Head of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar at their Minna, Niger State residences.
Accompanied by the wife of Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, Mrs Tinubu and her entourage were received at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport by Niger State Governor, Muhammed Umar Bago, his wife and other top government officials from where they drove to General Babangida’s residence and later Abdulsalami’s house.
At General Babangida’s uphill residence, the visitors met with Babangida for more than one hour behind closed doors. They thereafter proceeded to the residence of General Abdulsalami while they were received by former First Lady, Justice Fati Lami Abubakar.
The delegation also went into another closed door meeting with Abdulsalami and his wife for about 90 minutes before going to the Government House for a courtesy visit with Governor Muhammed Bago.
Though details of the private talks were not made public, General Abdulsalami told journalists after the closed-door meeting that Mrs Tinubu is a true Nigerian with passion for service, saying that she is Nigeria’s No1 ambassador.
The former Head of State said, “She has done very well during her 1st and 2nd years. She has done a lot of things in order to bring Nigeria to greatness.
“You have been carrying the governor’s wives along in all you have been doing, especially what you are doing for young children.”
Responding, Mrs Tinubu also described both Generals Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar as ‘father’s of the nation’.
She said, “It is right for me to come here to greet them because they are fathers of the nation.
“I, however, have to say that my visits to the former Nigerian leaders are private visits without any political undertone, because I had always tried to visit them but for exigencies of duties.
“The Nigerian leaders have been very supportive of government of President Bola Tinubu and they have always encouraged Mr. President.”
At the Government House, Mrs Tinubu donated N100 million to victims of the recent disasters in communities in Niger state, which included the tanker explosion in Dikko, Gurara local government; Sabon Pegi in Mashegu local government, and Allawa in Munya local government.
The First Lady said each of the affected families should get N1 million from the total amount, while the governor’s wife, Hajia Fatima Bago, should disburse the balance of N30 million to the victims for food and other items.
Mrs Tinubu also pleaded with the people to always remain vigilant and refrain from scooping fuel in the event of fuel-laden tanker overturning.
In his own comment, Governor Bago appreciated the gesture of the First Lady and assured her that the donation will be judiciously used.
He said, “We thank you that you have come to share in our pains over the tanker explosion in Dikko, the dynamite explosion in Sabon-Pegi and the collapsed mine in Munya.”
