Nigeria’s Presidency on Friday described as routine the movement of President Muhammadu Buhari from the official Presidential residence to the Glass House, both within the State House in Abuja.
This, it explained, is with a view to allow the official residence to be prepared in readiness for its next occupier, the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Explaining the significance of the change of residence for the President, Special Assistant to the President on Digital Communication, Bashir Ahmad, said it was a routine of the transitional process that an out-going President vacates the official residence ahead of the inauguration, to give space for the preparation of the building for the in-coming President.
Ahmad, who spoke on telephone in Abuja on Friday, said he was aware of the development and was not surprised because it was part of the transition process.
He said: “Yes, I’m aware of that, but it is just following the laid down procedure. The standard rule is that in the run-up to the inauguration, the President will have to move into the Glass House, while the in-coming President stays at the Defense House. All of this is to prepare the State House for the new President.
“After the inauguration, the new President is expected to resume at the State House to start his tenure. It’s not strange, that is the order of transition”, he said.
The First Lady, Aisha Buhari, had Thursday disclosed in a video that she and her husband, President Buhari, had moved out of the official residence into the Glass House, after taking the in-coming First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, round the residence for familiarisation.
While guiding Senator Tinubu round the residence in the video, the First Lady had also described the Glass House as a transitional home for the First Family, traditionally and called for the sustenance of the culture.
She said: “Today, I’ve taken the in-coming First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, round, she has seen the main house, we’re now at the popular Glass House. Glass House is a transition(al home) for the out-going President, I’m advising that the Glass House should maintain its tradition of being a transitional home for the out-going President.
“As I’m talking to you now we’re residing here with my husband, only two of us here. I think it has to remain so, as a norm of the institution and of the house”.
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
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