- Late president Shehu Shagari was said to have rejected a presidential residence when he was sworn in as Nigeria's president in 1979
- The president of Nigerian Youth Council and Shagari's grandson, Bello Shagari, made this disclosure on Saturday, December 29
- The former president's reason for rejecting the presidential residence was because he felt the residence was too luxurious for him and his family
The death of Nigeria's first executive president, Shehu Shagari, has brought to the foreground some of unknown facts about the late president, one of which is that he rejected presidential residence when he was sworn in as president in 1979.
Vanguard reports that the grandson of the late former president, Bello Shagari, made the disclosure on Saturday, December 29.
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Legit.ng gathers that Shagari's grandson, who is the president of Nigerian Youth Council, said: "When he was sworn in as the President, he decided to take the Vice President’s residence instead of the one meant for him because he felt the residence meant for the President was too luxurious for him and his family."
The first property Shagari built in Sokoto was said to be a house made of mud, before the former president built a storey building on Shehu Shagari Crescent road in Sokoto.
Recall that the regime of the then General Muhammadu Buhari that toppled Shagari's regime had accused the latter of being corrupt, but was later cleared of any involvement in corrupt practices.
There was an allegation that government officials during Shagari-led regime conspired to collect about $22 million in kickbacks on a $333 million contract with a French construction company, Feugerolle Nigeria Ltd.
Shagari was cleared by Justice Justice Samson Uwaifo review panel, which declared that the former president was unaware of the bribes.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari paid tribute once again to the late president Shehu Shagari, directing that flags should fly at half-mast in military and para-military formations, as well as public buildings for three days, starting from Sunday, December 30.
The disclosure was made on Saturday, December 29, by the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Femi Adesina.
Eulogising the former president, President Buhari said: "The late President represented almost the last link with the government of our Founding Fathers under Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He was also the first elected President of Nigeria.
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"The late Alhaji Shagari was a man of many parts: teacher, local authority administrator, politician, minister, and finally President. He served his country with dedication and moderation.
"Over the years, through interaction at the Council of State, he and I came to understand and appreciate each other, whatever the differences we may have had in the past."
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Source: Legit.ng
