Bad weather prevents several dignitaries including Osinbajo from attending Tinubu birthday bash

ALL Progressive Congress (APC) national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu's 69th birthday plans have been disrupted by bad weather after the elements prevented several high profile dignitaries including vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo from attending the event.

Today, Asiwaju Tinubu held his 12th colloquium to mark his 69th birthday in Kano and the event was billed as the start of his 2023 presidential campaign. It was due to attract virtually every political heavyweight in Nigeria but bad weather affected flights into Kano, forcing several high profile dignitaries to cancel attendance at the last minute.

Among the dignitaries who turned back at the last minute included Professor Osinbajo, the speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the secretary to the federal government Boss Mustapha, information minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed and interior minister Rauf Aregbesola. However about 60 members of the House of Representatives led by majority leader, Hon Ado Doguwa, as they were already within Kano State.

Laolu Akande, Professor Osinbajo's spokesman, said: "Vice president Osinbajo spending the day celebrating Asiwaju on his 69th birthday was on course to Kano this morning until weather conditions aborted travel plans. He’ll alongside Mr President join the 12th Colloquium virtually from the Presidential Villa.”

At the event which held at Government House Kano, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and the emir of Kano Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, were among the prominent guests. Nigeria's main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party has described the event as the start of a presidential campaign, calling it illegal.