Presidency Breaks Silence On Patience Jonathan's Whereabout

The Presidency on Thursday morning
broke its silence on the whereabouts of
President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife,
Patience.
Media assistant to Mrs. Jonathan, Mr. Ayo
Adewuyi, in a statement made available to
journalists in Abuja, said the President’s
wife is currently in Congo. He said Mrs.
Jonathan was in the country to join her
colleagues from Africa for the celebration of
the 30th anniversary a Non-Governmental
Organisation, Congo Assistance Foundation,
floated by the Congolese First Lady, Madam
Antoinette Sassou-Nguesso.
Adewuyi, however, did not indicate when
Mrs. Jonathan arrived Congo or when she is
expected back in Nigeria. He only said his
principal was received on arrival by the
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Congo Brazzaville,
Princess Onipede, in company of top
Congolese officials.
The President’s wife has not been seen
attending any public event inside the
Presidential Villa, Abuja since her husband
lost his re-election bid in the March 28
Presidential election. She was conspicuously
absent during the Good Friday and Easter
Sunday services held inside the Aso Villa
Chapel. Mrs. Jonathan did not also join her
husband for the funeral service held in
honour of his top aide, Oronto Douglas, in
Yenagoa last Saturday.
She had expressed fears ahead of the
elections that she will be thrown into prison
if Gen. Muhammadu Buhari wins the
election.
Uptill now, the Presidency had kept mute
on her whereabouts, despite mounting
speculations about her where abouts.
Adewuyi’s statement reads: “First Lady,
Dame Patience Faka Jonathan is in
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, joining other
African First Ladies for the celebration of the
30th Anniversary of Congo Assistance
Foundation, an NGO of Congolese First
Lady, Madam Antoinette Sassou-Nguesso.
“The Foundation, established in 1984, has
engendered social action in the areas of
health, education, skills acquisition in favour
of indigent people of Congo.
“Dame Patience Jonathan runs similar
organisation in Nigeria, the A. Aruera
Reachout Foundation which also focuses on
the upliftment of women and children, the
needy and imprisoned.
“The First Ladies of Benin Republic, Senegal,
Mali, Tchad, Niger, Guinea Conakry are also
in Brazzaville for the grand finale of the
week-long programmes during which a
National Center for Sickle Cell disease was
inaugurated.
“Dame Patience Jonathan was received on
arrival by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Congo
Brazzaville, Princess Onipede in company of
top Congolese officials.”