SAN FRANCISCO, December 18, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari has cancelled his scheduled trip to the Niger Republic opting to send the governors of Katsina, Yobe and Borno States as well as the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs to represent him.
THEWILL recalls that the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, had announced on Sunday that the President will join some world leaders for the 59th Proclamation of Republic of Niger ceremony in Tahoua, Niger.
“After the ceremony, the Nigerian leader will hold bilateral meetings with some of his counterparts before returning to Abuja same day,” Shehu had said.
“President Buhari will be accompanied on the trip by Governors Aminu Masari, Ibrahim Gaidam and Kashim Shettima of Katsina, Yobe and Borno States respectively.”
However, on Monday, Shehu revealed that the President has cancelled the trip because he felt satisfied that he had useful discussions with President Mahamadou Issoufou in the course of the weekend meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja.
“The event to which the President was invited is the celebration of the 59th year of the country’s independence,” shehu stated.
“Niger invited the leaders of neighbouring states: the Presidents of Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania and Nigeria.
“President Buhari felt satisfied that he had had useful discussions with his friend and brother, President Mahamadou Issoufou, in the course of the weekend meeting in Abuja, of the Economic Community of West African States.
“After a phone call last (Sunday) night, between the leaders, President Buhari decided to send a delegation made up of the three governors of Katsina, Yobe and the Borno States along with the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs to represent him.”
