Aisha Bihari to host APC, PDP, other presidential aspirants in Aso Rock

• Invitees ordered not to bring in phones

First Lady of Nigeria, Aisha Buhari, will host presidential aspirants across political parties to an Iftar dinner at the Presidential Villa on Saturday.

The information was contained in an invitation letter to the guests sighted in Abuja on Thursday.

Invitees to the dinner are instructed not to come along with their mobile devices, except their invitation cards which would serve as their entry pass.

It was however gathered that the ‘drop phone’ instruction on the invitation would not apply to some of the attendees, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, governors and ministers that will be attending.

The Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the First Lady, Aliyu Abdullah, in a phone interview on Thursday, said it is standard protocol for guests at events in the Villa.

Abdullahi, who confirmed the meeting, said, “There is nothing here. This is a standard operational protocol in the Villa when you are having either of the three occupants of the Presidency. If they are coming for an event, this is supposed to be DSS enforced.

“Whether the President is having an event or the Vice President or the First Lady, because outsiders will come, that’s the security and standard protocol.

“That does not apply to the Vice President. How can you expect that to apply to the Vice President or even to ministers.”