Yesterday, US based news platform, Sahara Reporters, posted a story on
its website claiming Aisha Buhari and other key Nigerians allegedly use
revenue generated from the Nigerian High Commission in the UK, to pay
the hotel bills of Mrs Buhari's large entourage during any of her visits
to the UK. Part of the report reads;
"Our inside sources in the UK, and Abuja revealed that the High
Commission spends a minimum of £7,000 for hospitality on each of Mrs.
Buhari’s trips to the United Kingdom. Last year alone, Mrs. Buhari
visited the UK at least seven times.
The finding was confirmed by a High Commission
document dated July 28, 2016, and signed by Ibrahim Sule, Minister
Counselor/Head of Chancery. “The Mission was also informed that Her
Excellency and members of her entourage would be staying at the vacant
house/official residence of High Commissioner. In this regard, given the
above scenario, there is the need for the Mission to provide
hospitality to the First Lady and members of her entourage. To this end,
I wish to kindly recommend to His Excellency to consider and approve
the sum of £7,000 to carry out the hospitality expenditure for the wife
of the President, members of her family and entourage,” stated the
latter. The request was approved the same day. Apart from feting Mrs.
Buhari and aides as well as treating officials like Mr. Kyari like
royalty, the High Commission also engaged in a variety of contract
scams, notably through payments to contractors for jobs not executed or
those executed at grotesquely inflated costs. Documents exclusively
obtained by SaharaReporters show that the sum of £14,100.80 was paid to a
company, Savanna Construction Limited, for what was described as “call
out report on 31 air-conditioning units in the High Commission
building”. The curious transaction was captured in a letter dated July
19, 2016, and signed by S.U. Kpohraro, Chief Security Officer (Admin).
The Head of Chancery (HOC) signed the approval, which was granted the
same day".
Aisha Buhari has now released a statement, countering the allegations. Read the statement below
The attention of the Wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari has been
drawn to a report in Sahara Reporters where, she was amongst other
things accused of abuse of privileges at Nigerian High Commission in
London.
It is not in her interest to join issues with anyone or defend others
mentioned in the report, it is however paramount to put the record in
proper perspectives as its concern her trips to UK vis-à-vis the
Nigerian High Commission in London.
Aisha Buhari has never traveled to London with a large entourage as was
carried in the report. The highest number of people on a trip involves
her three kids, ADC, and her personal physician.
The Nigerian Commission in London has never offered any favor either
monetarily or materially to her or her so called entourage on any of her
trips to London.
The state house in Abuja caters for her meal when necessary, and other
healthy food or variety needed by her children are her personal
responsibility.
It is on record that the Nigerian Commission in London does not receive
Aisha Buhari at the airport with any official distinction or privileges
as was accorded other first ladies before her
Her drivers are privately arranged without any recourse to the embassy
for staff.
She has never complained or raised dust about any of these acts by the
High Commission because of the understanding, as clearly spelt out and
practiced by her husband, that public office must be separated from the
private lives of the occupants.
She has always been an advocate of good governance where officials of
government are responsive and appealing to their constituents, it
therefore baffles the imagination that one could believe she would
corroborate with any government official however highly placed either at
home or abroad to shortchange the Nigerian people.
These records are not hidden for a non-mischievous reporter who really
intends to inform the people and not to disparage the family of the
President just to add weight to a report.
Aisha Buhari would have ignored this, like all of such baseless
accusations, but the angle to which the report was presented has a
corruption and abuse of privileges connotation which negates the
fundamental principle upon which this administration thrives.
Consequently, Sahara reporter or any of the embassy staff is hereby
challenged to provide any concrete evidence either in hard or soft copy
to contradict Aisha’s Buhari’s position as it concerns her trips to
London.
Sahara reporter should take the challenge and come out with the true
version in relation to Aisha Buhari if not for her reputation and that
of her family, but for the sake of good Nigerians who deserve to know
the truth at all times.
Adebisi Olumide Ajayi
S A Media
Wife of the President
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