BEVERLY HILLS, June 03, (THEWILL) – Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, has confirmed an exclusive story by THEWILL stating that President Muhammadu Buhari would not be personally attending the 49th Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
In a brief statement by Laolu, obtained by THEWILL, the President will again be represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, at the one-day summit slated for Friday, June 3.
“President Muhammadu Buhari would be represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, at the 49th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) holding this weekend in Dakar Senegal,” the statement read.
“Prof. Osinbajo will be leaving for Dakar today (Friday) and is expected back in Abuja on Sunday.”
THEWILL had exclusively reported that Buhari had cancelled his scheduled trip to Dakar, Senegal for the Summit and would likely be represented by Osinbajo.
THEWILL had also exclusively reported late Wednesday night, that the President had abruptly cancelled his widely publicized Thursday trip to Ogoni, Rivers State to launch the cleaning up of years of oil spills that have devastated the Niger Delta community and would be represented by Osinbajo.
Before then, the President had also abruptly cancelled trip to Lagos state, citing scheduling difficulties and was represented by Osinbajo.
Trusted Presidency sources with knowledge of the latest cancellation told THEWILL on Thursday that the President shelved the Dakar trip so as not to buy into the narrative that he only prefers to do trips to international destinations after shunning Lagos and Rivers States.
“The President cares about Nigerians and their feelings… He is a very sensitive leader. Because he didn’t make the Lagos and Rivers trips he is also shelving the Senegal trip so that he doesn’t seem insensitive to the issues plaguing the nation,” one of our sources said.
