From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Members of the Presidential Guards Brigade, held a special birthday parade to mark President Muhammadu Buhari’s 74th birthday yesterday.
The low key event was held at the fore court of the Presidential Villa shortly before President Buhari left for Transcorp Hilton, venue of the meeting of the leaders of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), meant to persuade Gambia’s President, Yahya Jammeh, to respect the wish of the people in the December 1, elections.
The event which saw the President cutting his birthday cake and releasing 74 pigeons, had just three ministers, service chiefs in attendance and a handful of presidential aides.
The ministers of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed, Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Musa Bello, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal were among the few that made it to the event which started at 9am prompt.
The presidential aides presented Buhari with a giant birthday card that has the seal of the president and his portrait on the cover at the end of the parade.
The inscription, ‘Happy Birthday’ was boldly written on the card. The Information minister also presented his own birthday card to the President.
Among the presidential aides who were at the birthday parade were, the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina; Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Abike Dabiri, and the Permanent Secretary, State House, Jalal Arabi, among others.
President Buhari also signed the birthday anniversary register and penned his thoughts: “Impressed, efficient drill”.
In an interview with State House correspondents, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonishakin, said, “We are celebrating the birthday of the President and we wish him well and good health. We wish him all the goodness of God as he pilots the affairs of our nation to greater heights.”
Also, the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, said, “He (the President) is a great man and we are very pleased with his accomplishments over the years. He is a good leader.”