Buhari Postpones London Trip, Receives Okowa’s Senator, Nwaoboshi, From PDP To APC

By Ayodele Oni

The medical follow-up visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the United Kingdom earlier scheduled for today, Friday, June 25, 2021, has been postponed.

Special Adviser to the President on Media, Mr Femi Adesina said in a statement that a new date for the trip will be announced in due course.

It is not known why Mr President postponed, but the announcement of the trip was greeted by strong criticisms from not a few people. They described the timing as inappropriate, considering that Nigeria’s Association of Resident Doctors, had given a notice of strike action over the many inadequacies in the medical system.

It was also feared that in the UK, the President could be met by protests organised by a group of Nigerians led by Reno Omokri. During his last visit to the UK, the Group met him with huge protests.

In another statement signed by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, President Buhari welcomed Senator Peter Nwaoboshi to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The  Sentor defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Welcoming him, the President told him: “You are welcome to the progressives family.’’

Sen. Nwaoboshi, representing Delta North District, was presented to President Buhari and the National Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) at the State House by Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.

The Deputy Senate President said Senator Nwaoboshi’s decision to join the APC clearly showed that the effort of the CECPC was yielding fruit.

The implications of Nwaoboshi’s defection are in two- folds. First, Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP, is now being represented by an APC Senator as both of them hail from the same Senatorial Zone.

Second, the APC now has two Senators in Delta State against PDP’s one Senator.

Senator Nwaoboshi was suspended a few days ago by the PDP, for inexplicably publicly criticising the Governor. What the PDP did not know was that the criticism was a prelude to his leaving the party.

Penultimate week, Nwaoboshi was discharged and acquitted of multi-million corruption charges filed against him in the Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.