Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Wednesday evening returned to the country from her trip to Geneva.
A former military Head of State, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, were among dignitaries that joined President Goodluck Jonathan to receive his wife in Abuja.
The President's wife lost her foster mother, Mrs. Christy Iware-Oba, fondly called Sisi Mama, in an auto crash in Port Harcourt on Monday.
She was said to have been devastated when the news was broken to her on the telephone.
Mrs. Jonathan arrived at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, at about 9.40pm.
Others, who joined the President to receive his wife, were his mother, Eunice; wife of the Bayelsa State governor; ministers of Transport, Aviation, Power, Science and Technology and Culture and Tourism. Some presidential aides also joined the team.
She was immediately led into the President's residence by her husband.
The ministers and a few presidential aides were allowed to follow them in.
Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, later led them in a prayer session for the repose of the soul of the deceased while Anenih gave a brief closing remarks.
As some dignitaries were leaving the President's residence, some others, including Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, were arriving to console Mrs. Jonathan.
Meanwhile, the wife of the Rivers State Governor, Judith Amaechi, has commiserated with Jonathan over the death of her mother.
Mrs. Amaechi, in a statement by her Media Assistant, Mr. Dike Bekwele, described the death of Iwari-Oba as a great loss to Rivers State, especially the Oba's family and the nation at large.
The governor's wife said she was devastated by the news of the death of the mother of the First Lady.
The Punch
May her mother's soul rest in perfect peace. This is no good news to Nigeria as a whole at all. Very bad one I must confess.