The Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives was trending in the news again when yesterday, online media reported that Femi Gbajabiamila airlifted over 300 guests to celebrate his mother’s 90th birthday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
According to an exclusive report by NaijaHottestGist (NHG), while it was true a party was being held in Dubai, the narrative was outrightly misleading.
NHG reported that the decision to hold the party in Dubai was strictly on the speaker’s mum insistence, which was difficult to overrule as he is not the first child. He was duty bound to respect the decisions of his siblings, who some of them are 12 years older than him.
Besides, their mother, contrary to being an outgoing woman, wished for a private and simple birthday ceremony with very close friends and associates.
The woman, who was also the first chairman of Surulere Local Government, believed that if it was held in Lagos, the venue would be filled to the brim and raised fear of crowd control. Being a politician, she has clout and she remains relevant till the present moment in the Lagos political scene.
A close family source told NHG that the speaker was not able to discourage the family from holding the party in Dubai as he had only one vote at the family meetings and for weeks he consulted his close friends on how best to handle it. As a matter of fact, it was alleged that he, at some point, tried to seek his mother’s consent to be away from the party .
It also gathered that no member of the national assembly was invited to the family prayers and party held last Friday at the Eagle Club was kept as low key as possible .
According to the source, “Gbajabiamila had to appeal to a governor friend who wanted to grace the occasion to please stay away because he didnt want the frenzy as it also came as a shock to many that Hon Jimi Benson, a very close friend, wasn’t even on the trip neither were NASS members.
“The story he is spending to millions is crazy and work of political enemies.
“Do you even know it is cheaper to do a party in Dubai than in Lagos? The guests are limited and you only pay for venue, food and drinks unlike the carnival that would have happened in Lagos. Mr Speaker is very conscious of the mood of the nation now and won’t do anything to upset it. So count him out of any jamboree,” he concluded.
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