Birthday In Dubai: Gbajabiamila Finally Breaks Silence

By Akinwale Kasali

When the news spread like wild fire over the allegation that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila is planning to convey over 300 guests to a lavish birthday party of his mother at the United Arab Emirates with public funds, mixed reactions trailed it. Many were expecting the number four citizen to debunk the claim immediately.

It, however, took the Speaker over 24 hours before he  debunked the allegation.

Sahara Reporters had reported that the Lagos State born politician was already warming up to stage an elaborate birthday party for his mother, Alhaja Lateefat Olufunke Gbajabiamila, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, starting from Monday  March 2, 2020.

The alleged fanfare and lavish celebration was to be staged to mark the woman’s 90th birthday, expected to run until March 10 in the glittering Arab city.

The Online medium alleged that Nigeria’s high and mighty, including politicians, living fat on public funds are expected to grace the occasion.

It stressed that reservations for guests have been made at the Conrad Hilton Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, where the least room goes for $122 (N43,920) per night.

It, also, added that if calculated by 300 guests, the cost for hotel accommodation alone per night will amount to $36,600 (N13,176,000), if however, calculated for the eight nights that guests will be housed at the hotel, the total comes to $292,800 (N105,408,000).

The Omoyele Sowore owned medium  revealed that the average price for round-trip flights from Nigeria to Dubai is currently $637 (N229,320).

When this is calculated for 300 guests, the total expenditure for airfare falls to N68,796,000.

The online medium added that the front view of Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City is a cynosure of all eyes.

Sahara Reporters had disclosed that a member of the planning team for the lavish celebration hinted the news medium that some guests have been booked for special and luxurious accommodation and that top personalities not slotted into private jets have already been booked for special seats on commercial airlines heading to Dubai.

According to the source, Gbajabiamila could be spending well over N500m to ensure his mother gets a befitting 90th birthday celebration going by the calibre of guests that would be gracing the occasion.

SaharaReporters further stressed that its Source had revealed that Alhaja Gbajabiamila played a pivotal role in her son’s foray into politics, hence the Speaker is prepared to celebrate her in a big way especially as she reaches the milestone age of 90.

Gbajabiamila is known to be extravagant when it comes to spending at auspicious occasion.

In May 2018, the Speaker  gifted his wife, Salamatu, an exotic Mercedes Benz G-Wagon on her 50th birthday said to, allegedly, cost around N100m.

Associates of the Speaker blame Sahara Reporters for making public the story that Gbajabiamila was using public funds to take 300 guests to the United Arab Emirate commercial city for the birthday.

The Associates said that the grand bash was strictly a family affair, with few childhood friends, attending on their own, not sponsored.

Also, the sources stressed that Gbajabiamila spent his personal money, and not state money to fund the trip.

“This event was strictly for family members and a few childhood friends for which no public funds were appropriated or expended. And not a single politician or a legislator was present at the event,” declared a close friend of the number-four most powerful Nigerian public official”.