By Marvellous Nyang
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, held a closed-door meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, after which he departed for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to participate in the African Union (AU) extra-ordinary Session of Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
The meeting between President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo, a leading aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is coming barely 72 hours to the much-talked-about national convention of APC, scheduled to hold between May 29 and 30, where the standard-bearer of the party will emerge.
There is no official disclosure of what the two leaders discussed behind a closed-door in the President’s office, but informed sources said part of the issues covered the forthcoming presidential primary election of APC, where the VP is a top contender.
Though the President is yet to make known who his preferred candidate is, but as those in the know had posited, Osinbajo would not have declared his intention to succeed his boss if President Buhari didn’t give him the go-ahead to enter into the race.
The President is being expected back in the country Saturday, May 28, a day to the D-day.
As the momentum gathers about who succeed him, with many political players depending on his “body language,” sources had hinted that the President might be taking his time out at the Malabo security summit, to avoid hangers-on, the reason he has picked up interest in attending to foreign engagements lately.
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In an earlier statement, the President’s media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, on Thursday in Abuja, said, the three-day summit, which will hold from May 26 to 28, will also focus on Humanitarian Challenges in Africa, with related issues on migration, refugees, returnees and Internally Displaced Persons.
Shehu said that the African leaders would look at Terrorism and Unconstitutional Change of Government, with attendant spiralling effects on human rights and economies.
He further stated that the Nigerian leader would join other Heads of State and Government to deliberate on Humanitarian Challenges, Hopes and Challenges in Africa, and participate in the adoption of the Assembly Declaration on Humanitarian Summit and the pledging conference.
”On security and governance, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union will take a united position on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Change of Government, and reach agreements on new approaches to stem the tide.
”President Buhari will also hold sideline meetings with some leaders during the meeting in Malabo,” he added.
According to the presidential aide, Mrs Aisha Buhari, who is the President of the African First Ladies Peace Mission, is accompanying her husband to the African Union meeting.
The President will also be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Defence, retired Maj-Gen Bashir Magashi, and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq.
Others on the President’s entourage are the National Security Adviser, retired Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ahmed Rufa’i and Chairman, Nigerians In Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
