Poll defeat: Patience Jonathan makes first public appearance

Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience
Jonathan, on Sunday made what
could be her first public appearance
since her husband, President
Goodluck Jonathan, lost the March
28 presidential election.
Mrs. Jonathan accompanied her
husband to a thanksgiving and
farewell service organised in their
honour at the Cathedral Church of
the Advent, Life Camp, Gwarimpa,
Abuja.
She read the first lesson of the
well-attended service from 1st
Timothy 6:11-19.
She later joined the President in a
special thanksgiving.
They danced to the altar for the
thanksgiving, joined by top
government officials, friends and
church members.
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.
While she voted alongside her
husband in the presidential
election in Otuoke, Bayelsa State,
she stayed back in her home state,
Okrika, Rivers State, during the April
11 governorship election.
She had expressed fears ahead of
the elections that she might be
thrown into prison if the then All
Progressives Congress presidential
candidate, Muhammadu Buhari,
won the election.
But the Presidency last Thursday
broke its silence on the
whereabouts of the President’s
wife.
Mr. Ayo Adewuyi, media assistant to
Mrs. Jonathan, in a statement made
available to journalists in Abuja,
said the President’s wife was at
that time 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, established by the
Congolese First Lady, Madam
Antoinette Sassou-Nguesso.
Adewuyi however did not indicate
when Mrs. Jonathan arrived in
Congo or when she was expected
back in Nigeria.

THey enjoyed their time and now it is time up for them