Finally, Buhari relocates to Aso Rock

 Three weeks after his May 29 inauguration, President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday evening relocated to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He joined his wife, Aisha, who had moved in on Thursday.

Before he finally moved in, the President had in the afternoon of Sunday visited the Presidential Villa where he stayed for about 30 minutes.

Those who thought that he had finally relocated to the seat of power were however shocked when Buhari left the premises after spending a few minutes.

He later returned finally in the evening.

It will be recalled that since their inauguration, Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo have yet to relocate to the Presidential Villa.

They have been operating from their private residences and the Defence House, Maitama, which is the official residence of the President-elect.

Surprisingly, however, the President’s wife on Thursday relocated to the Presidential Villa at a time when her husband was out of Abuja.

Buhari was at that time on private trips to Kaduna and Daura, his hometown in Katsina State.

Multiple Presidency sources had said that the President would join his wife inside the Presidential Villa upon his return to Abuja after the trip.

However, when Buhari returned to the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday, he retired to his private residence in Aso Drive, from where he had been operating.

But on Sunday afternoon, the President reportedly visited the Presidential Villa, apparently to spend a few minutes with his wife as he prepared to join her.

"The President was here this afternoon (Sunday). He arrived at about 2pm and spent about 30minutes before he left. He later returned in the evening. At last, the President has moved in," a Presidency official said.

It was not clear at press time whether Osinbajo had also moved in.

With his relocation, Buhari is expected to operate from the President’s office for the first time on Monday (today).

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, had at a time told our correspondent that ongoing renovation work was hindering Buhari from moving in.

"As far as the President is concerned, the place (his official residence) is not ready yet. Workers are cleaning and refurbishing the place. Once the exercise is completed, the President will move in," he had said.

He later released photographs of workers of the construction giant, Julius Berger Plc, who were painting the outer walls of the President’s office as proofs of renovation work.

Shehu had also last week Tuesday issued a statement to debunk speculations that Buhari had refused to move into the Presidential Villa since his inauguration because of purported advice from some Senegalese spiritualists.

He explained that "Buhari is a Muslim who believes his fate belongs to God."

He added that "no true believer combines faith in God with reliance on the power of ordinary mortals, who can neither protect themselves, nor protect others from the hands of fate."

He said the purported "spiritual cleansing of the Aso Rock Villa by Senegalese marabouts before President Buhari moves into the Villa" was the figment of the imagination of rumour mongers.

Shehu added that it was ridiculous to attribute Buhari’s delay in moving into the Villa to any advice from fictitious marabouts, insisting that renovation work was largely responsible for the delay.