Buhari apologises

Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and some other principal officers of of the National Assembly were on Thursday night denied access to the Presidential Villa, Abuja for. a scheduled dinner meeting with President Muhammad Buhari.

The lawmakers who all conveyed in one bus were made to undergo routine security checks that VIPs normally bypass when they got to the main gate of the presidential Villa. 

This obviously angered the principal officers who were embarrassed by the development, especially the reported rude countenance of the presidential security details. The lawmakers then turned back in protest.
Obviously, having being prevailed upon and apologised to, Saraki and Dogara returned to the Villa.


Buhari then apologized to them for the embarrassment and blamed it on a mix up by the security personnel in the Villa.

He met with both Saraki and Dogara, with Vice President Yemi Osinabjo as well as Senator Ita Enang and Hon. Baraji Kawu, boh presidential aides to the President on National Assembly matters..

The President also instructed his chief of staff, Abba Kyari to collect the names of all the principal officers of both houses and issue them privileged security clearance for easier access so to the Villa henceforth.

The dinner was then rescheduled for Tuesday evening next week.

Speaking briefly to the press afterwards, Saraki confirmed that the issue which led to the embarrassment has been resolved.

He said a bigger meeting with the entire leadership of the National Assembly will be held in the next few days.