COVID-19: Former first lady’s hotel to serve as isolation centre

Onyxnews Nigeria reports that the federal government is ready to convert a hotel owned by former first lady, Patience Jonathan, to an isolation and treatment centre for coronavirus (COVID-19) patients.

This reliable online news platform understands that the former first lady’s hotel which is situated in Abuja, is under interim forfeiture secured by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2018.

A source quoted by TheNation saying, the former first lady reached into an agreement with wife of the present president, Aisha Buhari, which started the release of the hotel to the federal government for health requirement surrounding the ravaging pandemic.

Onyxnews Nigeria gathered that the wife of the president had entered into an agreement with Patience through her pet project- the Future Assured Programme.

During the negotiation, Patience was quoted as saying: “This is the time we must all come together, irrespective of political differences, to assist this nation to fight the pandemic. It is a time to shun politics. I will do everything to help this great country that has also given me the opportunity to serve.”

Aisha has suggested to the minister of health, Osagie Ehanire to convert the hotel to a treatment centre that “meets international standards”.

This reliable online news platform also gathered that the hotel will be managed by the federal capital territory (FCT) COVID-19 committee while the Future Assured Programme will provide facilities like water, furniture, bedding, fittings and modern health equipment used in managing COVID-19 cases.

“Since the dispute over the property is still in court, the First Lady opted to seek the consent of Mrs. Patience Jonathan on the temporary use of the seized hotel. This mutual understanding has removed all legal hurdles,” a source was also quoted.

“After the nation has overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel will be handed over to the Federal Ministry of Health, which will in turn revert back to the EFCC. Those involved are, therefore, the Future Assured Programme, the Ministry of Health, the EFCC and ex-First Lady Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

“All the existing agreements are without prejudice to the final decision of the court on the property, which the First Lady said is owned by a separate entity, Aurora Foundation.”

In 2019, a federal high court in Lagos ordered the permanent seizure of $8.4 million (about N3 billion) and N9.2 billion, belonging to the former first lady.

The presiding judge, Mojisola Olatoregun gave the order following an application filed by the EFCC.

The EFCC had argued that the money was suspected to be proceeds of crime.