The Presidency has said that the shift of President Muhammadu Buhari from the official Presidential residence to the Glass House within the Presidential Villa is a regular procedure, aimed at preparing the official residence for the incoming President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
All Nigeria Latest News reports that the information became public recently when the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, revealed in a live video on Thursday that she and President Buhari had relocated from the official residence to the Glass House. This move occurred after giving a tour of the residence to the incoming First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for familiarization.
Elaborating on the significance of the President’s change of residence, Bashir Ahmad, the Special Assistant to the President on Digital Communication, clarified that it is a standard part of the transition process for an outgoing President to leave the official residence before the inauguration. This allows for the necessary preparations of the building for the incoming President.
The Special Assistant who spoke in Abuja on Friday, said he was aware of the development and was not surprised because it was part of the transition process.
“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 while guiding Senator Tinubu round the residence in the video, also described the Glass House as a transitional home for the First Family, traditionally and called for the sustenance of the culture.
“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 transitional 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,” she said.