Kehinde Fajobi
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has explained that her visit to former military leaders, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, in Minna on Monday was a private courtesy call with no political undertones.
Accompanied by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, she was received at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport by Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, his wife, and other top officials.
The delegation proceeded to Babangida’s uphill residence, where they held a closed-door meeting for over an hour, before heading to Abdulsalami’s home for another 90-minute discussion.
While details of the meetings were not disclosed, Abdulsalami later described Tinubu as “Nigeria’s No. 1 ambassador.”
He said, “She has done very well during her first and second years. She has done a lot of things in order to bring Nigeria to greatness.
“You have been carrying the governors’ wives along in all you have been doing, especially what you are doing for young children.”
Tinubu, in turn, praised both leaders, calling them “fathers of the nation.”
She stated, “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 the government of President Bola Tinubu and they have always encouraged Mr. President.”
At the Government House, she donated ₦100 million to victims of recent disasters in Niger State, including a tanker explosion in Dikko, a dynamite blast in Sabon Pegi, and a collapsed mine in Allawa.
She directed that each affected family receive ₦1 million, while the governor’s wife, Fatima Bago, would distribute the remaining ₦30 million for food and other essentials.
Tinubu also urged citizens to avoid scooping fuel from overturned tankers, warning of the dangers.
Governor Bago, in response, expressed gratitude, saying, “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.”