Lobbyists stranded as Tinubu relocates from Bourdillon to ‘White House’

Politicians and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains who thronged the Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos residence of President Bola Tinubu yesterday, to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir with him and continue their lobby for political appointments, were extremely disappointed.

Reason: The President has relocated to his recently refurbished ‘White House’ located on No. 4, Queens Drive in Ikoyi. Although some members of his family and personal aides attended to some party members and feted some Lagosians at Bourdillon, many politicians that attempted to see him at his Queens Drive residence were turned back by security agencies.

Sources said the President cancelled many appointments “to attend to some pressing national demands, and also needed more time to rest following his trip to France and the United Kingdom.”

People believed to be politicians in vehicles with tinted-glass were also turned back. Also, some clergymen dressed in cassock were not allowed to enter the palatial building, just as many reporters, including Television Continental (TVC) news crew were denied entrance.

News Direct also sighted a man with a sick child on a wheelchair pleading with the security agencies to allow him to see the President. He left after several entreaties to security agents fell on deaf ears despite hours of staying at the ‘White House’ gate.

One of the guests, who was denied entrance, told this news platform that he came from the mainland to present a gift to the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.

He said: “The level of security here is expected. This is the residence of the President and it has to be heavily fortified. We don’t know who is who. I only came to drop a gift for the First Lady, but I wasn’t allowed. Maybe I will have to take it back.”

It was gathered in Lagos yesterday that members of the President’s kitchen cabinet were still debaqting on the percentage of professionals and politicians that will constitute the cabinet.

Sources said while the national secretariat of the ruling party is working to prune down a list of ministerial nominees from different states, special attention is said to be given to state chapters of APC with factions.

The source said: “There are plans to ensure that the appointment is used to bring together factions in some states and ensure peace in the party.”