- Directive in force until further notice
BY EDMOND ODOK – Amid health challenges and pregnancy rumours, Nigeria’s First Lady and wife of the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, has ordered all staff members in her office to proceed on indefinite leave until further notice.
The directive was contained in a terse statement posted on Aisha Buhari’s official Instagram handle (@aishambuhari), and signed by Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Office of the First Lady on Health and Development Partners, Dr. Mohammed Kamal.
The statement, which quoted Kamal as stating that in the meantime all official engagements and work will however continue virtually, said; “This serves to inform all staff that the office of the First Lady will be closed for the upcoming festive period of Christmas and New Year.
“To this end, all staff are requested to proceed on leave, until further notice. Please note that official engagements and work can also continue virtually as it was done previously.”
However, the said statement seemed to have been pulled down a few hours later with no explanatory note as to the reason behind the latest development.
The First Lady was part of the President’s official entourage to Istanbul for the Turkey-African Partnership Summit and returned to the country on Sunday.
But commenting on the development, a presidency insider said there is nothing to the directive as it is not the first time that such has been given by the First lady, adding; Even last year (2020) and in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, she did the same thing after she returned from a trip abroad.”
Similarly, one of her closest aides, who had returned from an overseas trip, was asked to go on self-isolation that same last year by the First Lady.
Efforts to reach Sulaiman Haruna, a media aide to the First Lady for comments at press time were unsuccessful Aisha Buhari as he did not pick or return calls put to him.
