Vice President Kashim Shettima has aborted his proposed trip to a US-Africa Summit, moments after the Presidential Candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) raised the alarm that both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his deputy’s simultaneous trips abroad put the country on auto-pilot.
Former Vice President in a Monday tweet took exception to the fact Tinubu and Shettima were absent from the country.
However, The Presidency said an aircraft technical fault on Sunday forced VP Shettima from attending the planned US-Africa Summit and he would no longer be representing the President at the event in Dallas, Texas.
The summit is scheduled to hold from May 6 to May 9, 2024.
A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, explained that Shettima had to abort the trip on the advice of the Presidential Air Fleet as the presidential jet he was to use developed a technical fault.
According to the statement, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, will now represent President Tinubu at the Business Summit.
The statement reads: “The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, will now represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas. Vice President Kashim Shettima who was originally scheduled to represent the President was unable to make the trip following a technical fault with his aircraft, forcing him to make a detour on the advice of the Presidential Air Fleet.
“The Vice President will carry on with other national duties. The high-profile summit, taking place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, will bring together political and business leaders from across Africa, the United States, and other regions. It features high-level dialogues, networking sessions, and plenaries.
“Among the African heads of state expected are President Joseph Boakai of Liberia, President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, President Joao Lourenço of Angola, President Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi of Botswana, President José Maria Neves of Cabo Verde, and Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara of Lesotho.
“The US-Africa Business Summit aims to foster economic cooperation and explore investment opportunities between the United States and African countries.”
