Edozie Udeojo, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised alarm over an alleged shooting and security breaches in the precincts of the Presidential villa,Abuja following a reported degenerated squabble among family members and officials of the Buhari Presidency.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, expressed worry that an alleged protracted spat between the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, and the president’s aides had degenerated into “violent combats, raids, and free use of firearms within the Presidential Villa.”
The party claimed that the First Lady’s security details were the ones who allegedly resorted to the use of firearms.
It was alleged that fracas had ensued when a nephew of President Muhammadu Buhari simply identified as Sabiu, who traveled to Lagos to meet his wife who gave birth, returned to the Presidential Villa where he resides and was asked to go on self-isolation to ensure that he did not bring in the dreaded COVID-19 into the residence.
It was further alleged that the said Sabiu contended that he was not the only aide that traveled to Lagos, insisting that the new Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, always traveled to Lagos and returned to Abuja to continue with his work yet the heavens did not fall.
The said Sabiu, it was further alleged, had refused to leave the Presidential Villa even after the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, and her three children intervened apparently pleading with him to leave.
Following efforts at getting Sabiu to comply, the First Lady’s ADC was alleged to have fired some shots, prompting Sabiu to flee the scene; but he later returned to arrest the aides of the First Lady.
In its reaction to the high drama, the PDP described the use of firearms in the Villa as distressing. The party demanded an immediate probe into the security breaches and alleged violation of the COVID-19 ban on inter-state travels by officials and relations of the President, which was said to be part of the immediate causes of the latest disturbances in the Presidential Villa.
“Our party is disturbed by such ugly situation in the Buhari Presidency, which has already heightened apprehensions in the public space over the apparent failure of security architecture and central command system in the presidency leading to such reckless and irresponsible breaches.”
“The chaotic situation in the Presidential villa only points to the failure by President Buhari to provide a leadership that can guarantee orderliness in governance and effectively ensure the security of our nation.”
take immediate steps to restore order in his Presidency and shield our security system from the division and power tussle among persons close to him. Our party also demands for an immediate inquest into the security breaches as well as the alleged violation of COVID-19 ban on inter-state travels by officials and relations of Mr. President, which was reported to be part of the immediate causes of latest disturbances in the Presidential villa.
Furthermore, the PDP urges the National Assembly to save the nation by wading into the persistent infighting in the Buhari Presidency especially as those in charge of the Presidential villa has not demonstrated the required capacity to engender the needed orderliness for productive governance.”
Shooting in Aso Villa, Arrest of Aisha Buhari’s Aides,