Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia Reportedly Snubs President Buhari's Family

 According to Leadership newspaper, the Nigerian embassy in Saudi Arabia this week side-stepped protocol by giving preference to former Vice President Namadi Sambo and his entourage of 15 family members over that of President Buhari when both arrived for the lesser Hajj (Umrah) in Saudi Arabia.

 The Umrah is performed by Muslims from all over the world who converge on the holy city of Mecca to observe the ritual, which can be undertaken at any time of the year but mostly observed during Ramadan.

 The pilgrims perform a series of worship activities symbolising the lives of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and his second wife, Hajara.

 Leadership gathered that both families arrived in Saudi Arabia this week for Umrah and while Aisha Buhari and her five children were allotted two-bedroom accommodation, the former vice president was allotted an eight-room apartment.

 Leadership also learnt that while not a single protocol officer and vehicles were posted by the embassy to attend to the president’s family, a protocol officer and vehicles from the embassy were attached to the former vice president and his family.

 An embassy source revealed that Buhari’s wife had travelled to Saudi Arabia via Emirate Airline instead of the presidential jet, as was the practice in the previous administrations, and had decided to seek alternative accommodation by herself at her own expense, to accommodate her and her children.

 However, it was gathered that the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provided an official vehicle to convey the Nigerian president’s family around as it is done for the families of all visiting heads of state.

 The source further revealed that the consular-general, Ahmed Umar, still sees himself as being more beholden to the former vice president than anyone else because he was instrumental in his elevation and posting to Saudi Arabia. He still sees himself basically as Sambo’s protege, a staff member of the embassy told Leadership.

 The source added that even the two-bedroom apartment allotted to the president’s family was a result of the efforts of the ambassador, Alhaji Abubakar Bunu, and not the consular-general.

 While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in power, Buhari and his family were denied any privileges by the Nigerian embassy in Saudi Arabia, even those due to a former head of state because he was in the opposition.

Sambo and his family had last year embarked on a widely publicized Umrah.

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Vice President Namadi Sambo and Wife Begs for Forgiveness as they leave Office

 Vice-President Namadi Sambo, and wife, Amina Sambo, on Monday urged those they offended to forgive them. The vice-president, who spoke to newsmen shortly after a valedictory meeting with his supporting members of staff at Aguda House, Abuja, said he had forgiven all those he had interracted with in the last five years.

 According to him, he has enjoyed good and cordial working relationship with all his supporting members of staff. “Whether in government or outside government, we will continue to contribute towards the development of the country.

 And also, we have enjoyed working together and we have become one family with our staff and we assure them that we shall always be there for them. Also, we pray that all those that we have offended during this period, we beg for their forgiveness and we forgive all those that have done anything wrong to us.’’he said Sambo thanked the staff for their support and cooperation and urged them to extend the same to the incoming administration.

 In her remarks, the wife of the Vice-President, Hajiya Amina Sambo, said the Sambo’s family would forever remain grateful for the support, encouragement and prayers they enjoyed from the staff. The farewell meeting was attended by all the supporting staff, including Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants to the vice-president and his wife.

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PDP Thugs Reportedly Held Vice President Sambo Hostage In Kano

 According to reports, some thugs in the Kano state chapter of the PDP yesterday held Vice President Namadi Sambo hostage for about 20 minutes at the Bayero University Kano premises over allegations that the state party leader had abandoned them.

 According to Daily Independent, an eyewitness said dozens of heavily armed thugs posing as loyal party men beat the security cover around the VP and became unruly, pouring out their grievances at the state party leaders.

 The witness said the thugs in unison chorused on top of there voices “Bamuayi Bamuayi Bamuayi” which meant “we are no longer with you”, while others shouted mungaji da aiki banza”, meaning ‘we are tired of the job’.

 An embarrassed Vice President immediately ordered the state party leaders to address the aggrieved members. This paved way for the thugs to drop their arms and follow the convoy of the Vice President.

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Vice President Namadi Sambo's Wife Loses Relations To Kano Mosque Explosions

 The Wife of Vice President Namadi Sambo, Amina, is one of the bereaved as a result of the multiple explosions that rocked the Kano Central Mosque last week friday.

 Sambo’s wife, who hails from Kano, PUNCH reports, lost an undisclosed number of relations and friends to the incident that claimed about 120 lives.

 Touched by her plight, the President’s wife, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Sunday led wives of some top government officials to pay a condolence visit on Mrs. Sambo at her husband’s official residence, Aguda House, inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

 A statement by Mrs. Jonathan’s media assistant, Ayo Adewuyi, quoted her as condemning the Kano blast, describing it as man’s inhumanity to man. The statement also quoted the President’s wife as appealing to the masterminds of the attack to come out and dialogue with the Federal Government.

The statement read in part:

“The First Lady was at the Aguda House residence of the Vice President to condole the family, the people of Kano and in particular, the wife of the Vice President, who lost relations and friends to the bomb blast. The wife of the Vice President, Hajia Amina Sambo, hails from Kano. 

Patience Jonathan appealed to those behind the incidence to come forward for dialogue and stop further killings. She also called on all Nigerians to be their brothers’ keepers, as no meaningful development can take place without peace and security. 

Patience Jonathan again restated her call for peaceful co-existence among the people, stressing the need to continue to promote the virtues of peace and peaceful co-existence in the country, by engaging in constructive engagement on national issues. The First Lady prayed for the peaceful repose of the dead and speedy recovery of the injured while praising the dedication of the management and staff of the hospitals where the injured are being treated.”

The statement also quoted Vice President Namadi Sambo, who responded on behalf of his family, as thanking the President’s wife for her love and compassion. Sambo assured Nigerians that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan was doing all within its powers to constructively tackle the issue of insurgency in the country. He said although the incident shook the nation, the people of Kano State and his family, he was confident that the war against insurgency would be won by the present administration. Source

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SAD : Vice President, Namadi Sambo Loses Brother In A Ghastly Motor Accident Today(Photos)

 

 Vice President Arc. Namadi Sambo today lost his immediate younger brother Capt Sabo Sambo in a horrible car accident on Bill Clinton Drive, Airport Road, Abuja.

Captain Sabo was reportedly on his way to the airport to catch a flight when he crashed into a tree and his car went up in flames. According to eyewitnesses, Capt Sabo got trapped in his car after the collision with the tree. When the car burst into flames, he desperately tried, struggled to get out but could not. Eventually, he was burnt to death.

Until his death, the deceased was a pilot, who worked with the former Nigerian Airways and the Presidential Air Fleet, before retiring to be on his own. He was 58 years old, survived by his wife, three daughters, 10 brothers and sisters.

He has since been buried at the Apo cemetery, Abuja according to Islamic rites. He was buried in the presence of former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and several other dignitaries and sympathisers.

May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace and Almighty Allah grant him Aljannah Firdausi. President Jonathan has also visited Vice President Namadi Sambo's family to pay condolence.

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