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Twenty-three of
the 120-man delegation that accompanied Goodluck Jonathan to New York
for the United Nations General Assembly were aides and friends of his
wife, Patience, presidency sources told NEXT yesterday.

Among aides of the
president’s wife on the trip were her steward, Benson Okpara; her
luggage officer, Geoffrey Obuofforibo and her special assistant in
charge of administration, Oroyemisi Ojewole.

In addition to the
five security operatives that accompanied her husband on the journey,
Mrs Jonathan flew her own separate security team to New York. There
were her aide-de-cap, Jacob Tamunoibuomi; her orderly, Abigail Jonah,
and Francis Ibiene, her chief security officer.

Although Mr
Jonathan’s chief physician, F. Fiberesima, was on the trip, Mrs
Jonathan reportedly insisted on taking her own personal physician,
Elizabeth Austin-Amadi, along with her. Also on the president wife’s
party were her director of protocol, Mfama Abam; her principal protocol
officer, Nuhu Kwache; her special assistant, domestic matters, Martha
Onwuzurumba; her special assistant, media, Aliagan Zubair and another
media assistant, Ayobami Adewuyi.

Four friends of Mrs Jonathan also made the trip. They were Bola Shagaya, Joyce Bozimo, Pelebo Banigo and Musa Ujah.

Helen Mark, wife
of the President of the Senate; Mariam Imoke, wife of Cross River State
governor; Fatima Shema, wife of the Katsina State governor; Oluwakemi
Alao-Akala, wife of the Oyo State governor and Clara Chime, wife of the
Enugu State chief executive, completed Mrs Jonathan’s party to New York.

Realm of absurdity

Mrs Mark also took two of her aides, Ogwuiji Clement and Omeche Omudu, along.

The vice
president’s wife, Amina Sambo, was accompanied on the journey by her
aide-de-camp, Abubakar Dauda; her principal protocol officer, Zayyad
Abdulsalam and her personal assistant, Dabo Suleiman.

The Nigerian Constitution does not recognise the offices of First Lady at the federal and state levels.

But wives of
presidents and governors, even local government chairpersons, have
continued to maintain huge offices, a retinue of aides and financial
allocations that are never retired. Over 30 aides are believed to work
for Mrs Jonathan alone.

Executive Director
of the Nigeria Liberty Democratic Forum, Bukola Oreofe, on Sunday
described Mrs Jonathan’s conduct as “obscene use of public funds”.
“What she did ranks very high in the realm of absurdity,” Mr Oreofe
said.

“I am not surprised that his wife, who has no constitutional duties,
would do that in the midst of the misery and poverty that the average
Nigerian is languishing.”