Chidi Samuel
The presidency on Friday explained why President Mohammadu Buhari failed to attend the South East Economic and Security Summit in Enugu on Thursday following various media reports that he deliberately boycotted the Summit. In a statement, the senior special Adviser to the President on media relations, Garba Shehu said that the President did not snub anyone.
According to Shehu, “The President was presented with a request to attend the Economic and Security Summit by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.
“The President happily accepted. The visit to Enugu was scheduled for Thursday 22nd as can be found on the weekly programme.
“After this was done, some other stakeholders from the South East came and advised him to not go in view of the closeness of the date to Christmas; that given the sensitivity of the period to the people, a presidential visit may come with overexertion and possibly, be disruptive of Christmas.
“In view of this, President Buhari requested that the event be pushed forward to January, 2017.
“Given his nature, he did not insist. He said if the change of date is not possible, then the event can go on without him. That is what the organizers chose to do.
“The President did not, and he absolutely has no reason to snub anyone one.”