President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday commended his deputy Prof Yemi Osinbajo for being a loyal and dependable partner to an enviable position.
The President gave the commendation on his twitter handle @MBuhari while congratulating Osinbajo at 61.
He was joining millions of friends and well-wishers of the vice president in wishing him good health and strength to continue to offer service to God and humanity.
The President posted: “Happy 61st Birthday (Vice President) Yemi Osinbajo.
“Thank you for being a loyal and dependable partner on this journey. I join millions of your friends and well-wishers around the world to wish you many more years of service to God, Nigeria and humanity.’’
Meanwhile, the Aso Villa Chapel said it had planned a 61-hour-nonstop-praise concert in commemoration of the Osinbajo’s 61st birthday anniversary.
The Chaplain of the Aso Villa Chapel, Pastor Seyi Malomo, who made this known in a statement signed by him in Abuja, said the exercise was in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Some social commentators described the vice president, who is also a Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), as an “excellent speaker’’ and a loyal politician who complements Buhari “so perfectly.
The vice president yesterday celebrated his birthday with some Federal Executive Council (FEC) members and his aides at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Among those who attended the brief ceremony at the Vice President’s wing of the State House included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha and Minister of Budget & National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma.
Also in attendance were: the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefuele, Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu and Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang.
They sang birthday song for Osinbajo before joining him cutting the cake at the count of 61.
Osinbajo prayed that those below 60 who had come to celebrate with him will live above 60 years and that those above 60 years will see many more years.
He said: “I’m grateful to God for preserving my life. It’s just exciting to be one year older. I think we are gradually getting to that class who are called senior citizens and I in some way it places greater responsibility.
“But I’m immensely grateful to God and thank everyone for the surprise. I pray that our country will be greater and greater, that it will prosper and that we will experience true joy and true peace.”
The SSG said: “We are gathered to share with you on this very auspicious day. Our prayer is that God will continue to watch over you, continue to fill you with wisdom and understanding, that at every point in time as you counsel with Mr. President you will give him Godly counsel, that he will depend on you for insights into the governance of this country and for those of us working with you, we will receive direction to take this country forward and to greater heights.”
Bayelsa State Governor described the vice president as a great stabilizer and prayed God to grant him long life and good health.
Thanking Osinbajo for service to fatherland, Dickson said: “On behalf of the government and the good people of Bayelsa State, I warmly felicitate with you on your 61st Birthday Anniversary. You are a great stabilizer in the system and I thank you for your service to fatherland.
“As you celebrate your new age, I join your family, friends and associates to wish you many happy returns! May God grant you many more years in good health.”
In his goodwill message, Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, lauded the celebrator for his commitment to the country’s development and unity.
Obasa described Osinbajo as a patriotic, who right from his days as the Commissioner for Justice & Attorney-General of Lagos State, has displayed high level of ingenuity and loyalty to matters aimed at promoting democratic ideals in the country.
“We reminisce on his evolution from a highly cerebral, ingenious and intuitive law teacher to an exemplary, debonair, consummate and venerated public administrator,” the speaker said is a statement by his media aide Musbau Rasak.
Obasa commended the vice president for his loyalty, commitment, dedication, diligence and patriotism to the cause of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The statement reads: “As Vice President of the Federation, Prof Osinbajo has, in his public and private conducts, epitomised and crystalised himself as a loyal ally and lieutenant to the President; proven to be a venerable, diligent and intelligent public officer as well as a tireless, committed, dedicated, patriotic, resourceful and dutiful statesman.
“These attributes have become trademark peculiarities of the VP to the popular acclaim and admiration of all and sundry.”