President Bola Tinubu may eventually move to his new official residence in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, in Abuja this weekend or next week, it is gathered.
Almost two weeks after he took the oath of office, the President has not moved into the Aso Rock official residence following the maintenance work going on.
Recall that the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari vacated the main residence for the Glass House about three weeks before the inauguration of his successor on May 29.
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The official residence was being coated with white paint, while some of its sections were being cleaned and fumigated.
However, the renovation, which largely entailed finishing, fittings, and the change of some security apparatuses, did not include the provision of new sets of furniture.
Although, President Tinubu has been coming to work from his Asokoro private residence and has been busy meeting guests at his official office, the Council Chamber and the State House Banquet Hall.
Since his inauguration, President Tinubu has been using the Quarter Guard Gate when resuming and leaving office instead of coming to work from the main residence.
Likewise, it was learnt that Vice President Kashim Shettima had been coming to the office from his personal house and not his official residence, the Aguda House.
A source in the Presidential Villa said the timeframe left by President Buhari to move out of the official residence was too short and therefore delayed maintenance works on the 32-year-old Aso Rock Villa.
A security source said, “He (Tinubu) has not moved in because maintenance is still on. And that is because maintenance started late because of the time Baba Buhari left the residence and moved into the Glass House.
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“Even though he vacated the main residence a few weeks before handing over, the time was short. If you compare it to Goodluck Jonathan, Jonathan left about a month before Buhari’s swearing-in. And so there was enough time for maintenance. That is why Baba Buhari did not waste time entering the house because it was ready.”
However, another Presidency source said, on Friday, that the President was expected to move in “this weekend or early next week.”
“I can confirm that he (Tinubu) has not moved into his residence. But I also know that he may do it this weekend or early next week,” the source said.
Another senior source, who confirmed the planned relocation to reporters, said President Tinubu was quite comfortable in his Asokoro residence and did not see the need to stay in the Defence House before his swearing-in.
The source stated, “He is quite comfortable where he is. Even when he was President-elect, he only visited the Defence House to hold a few meetings and leave. He didn’t really stay there.
“But he will move into the Villa soon because he is the President. He has to operate from here.”
