PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has begun sprucing up his palatial country mansion in his native Bayelsa State ahead of his planned departure from the presidential villa Aso Rock on May 29.
According to reports from Bayelsa State, President Jonathan will be moving into a sprawling estate opposite a creek in his home town of Otuoke. His estate covers a large expanse of land contrasting sharply with its rustic surroundings in Otuoke, the small island community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
On the long road to the gates, soldiers and members of other security agencies, apparently on sentry duty, have been seen walking the grounds lately. As far back as 2013, President Jonathan was reported to have begun acquiring properties adjacent his home to enable him expand the complex.
Over recent weeks, this process has been stepped up and the estate is said to now cover a whopping seven acres. It is dominated by a central mansion while new structures including guest chalets, staff quarters and storage facilities have been erected around the main building.
After first acquiring the buildings in 2013, President Jonathan engaged the services of construction company Jiito to expand the estate. Today, the mini-estate, which overlooks a creek that links Otuoke to other coastal communities of Bayelsa, dominates the landscape and all the buildings in the estate are said to be ready except one.
One Otuoke source said: “I can tell you that the houses are ready and everything is in order. It remains only one building where the contractors are putting window blinds, curtains and air conditioners.
“I overheard some of the workers saying that they had been instructed to finish the last building before the second week of May. I think it is because the president is returning home."
President Jonathan already has a country home in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital which he built while he was deputy governor. It is expected that he will return to Otuoke anyway and the town has already got a big buzz in anticipation of his arrival.
