President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness at the death of Peter Chukwuemeka Chijioke Onwubuariri, Assistant Director in the Presidential Villa, who died on Tuesday after a prolonged illness.
The President in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga described the loss as “painful” for the presidency, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the media community and the nation.
Onwubuariri, a veteran journalist and former NAN North America correspondent, joined the Presidential Villa in 2014 and served on media teams across the administrations of Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu.
A seasoned reporter, he covered foreign affairs, telecommunications, politics and finance.
Colleagues say he brought wide professional experience, sound judgement and a deep understanding of the relationship between government and the press. Before his Villa posting he rose through the ranks at NAN and served as Assistant Editor-In-Chief, contributing to the agency’s editorial operations.
President Tinubu paid tribute to Onwubuariri’s “dedication, professionalism and commitment to duty”, saying his long service across three administrations reflected his competence and loyalty.
“His passing is a great loss to the Presidential Villa, the media fraternity and Nigeria,” the president said.
“He will be remembered for his diligence, his wealth of experience and his contributions to journalism and national service.”
The President extended condolences to Onwubuariri’s wife, Catherine, their three children, his extended family and colleagues, and prayed for strength for the bereaved and “eternal rest” for the deceased.
