Chidi Samuel|
Femi Gbajabiamila, a member of the federal house of representative from Lagos State on Thursday defended his car gift of a brand new Benz G-Wagon to his wife on her 50th birthday.
The lawmaker was widely lambasted on social media for lavishing such gift on his wife and making a public show of it in a country where many are suffering as a result of mismanagement of resources by leaders like Gbajabiamila.
But in a statement on Thursday, the lawmaker defended the gift to his wife, stating that he saved for “a couple of years” to buy his wife the luxury vehicle.
According to him, the presentation was meant to be a family affair but the vehicle arrived late when guests were already seated.
Gbajabiamila’s statement read in part, “My attention has been drawn to the extensive reports especially on social media regarding the presentation of a gift to my wife and best friend in celebration of her 50th birthday anniversary.
Naturally, I had anticipated this occasion for quite a while and prepared by saving up for it in the last couple of years. I took the decision far back to present her with a significant gift, she was totally unaware of, to convey in part, the debt of my gratitude to her for standing by me through ‘thick and thin’. I could never have been half the man I am today without her support and unbelievable understanding. Truly, the monetary value of any gift real or imagined, pales in significance when I consider how much of a ‘rock and pillar’ she has been to me.
“The presentation of the gift contrary to public perception, was to be a family affair in our home but it suffered some delays finally arriving when a number of guests were in to celebrate with my wife. It still would have remained a private affair, but I guess we underestimated the power of social media and very excited friends.