President Buhari, Osinbajo move into Aso Rock Villa this week

New security officials deployed to State House

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will move into the Aso Rock Presidential Villa this week, Daily Trust has learnt.

Because of the ongoing renovation of the State House, the president and the vice president have been operating from the Defence House, Abuja, since their inauguration on May 29.

But our correspondent was told yesterday that the contractors handling the renovation of the Presidential Villa, Julius Berger Plc, would complete its work and formally hand over same yesterday. 

As of 2.00pm yesterday, Julius Berger staff were seen painting walls and fixing air-conditioners of the vice president wing of the State House.

A source told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that as a result of some technical matters, the renovation could not be completed on Saturday as hitherto planned.

He said the renovation of Buhari and Osinbajo’s residences as well as that of the former’s offices and the Council Chambers had been completed before yesterday.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, had told journalists last Monday that Buhari was still staying in his rented apartment in Abuja pending when the renovation was completed. 

“They claim some renovation was going on; the place is being cleaned up for his (Buhari’s) occupation. The contractors are probably working at their own pace. If I need to know or if you need to know this, probably, we have to talk to someone. I am not saying he (the president) is comfortable where he is at his rented house, but he is operating from there at the moment. When the Villa is ready, he will move”, Shehu had said. 

In another development, a new set of operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) yesterday reported at the State House.

Our correspondent saw them move into the fore-court of the president’s office at about 12 noon yesterday.