The Nigerian mission inexplicably messed up the itinerary of President Muhammadu Buhari at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York on Friday, TheCable can report.
The president missed a very important event on Boko Haram and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and was also prevented from meeting with Pope Francis because he was not properly briefed by the Nigerian UN mission staff.
The pope delivered a speech at the general assembly on Friday at 10am.
Not only was Buhari made to come in late to the meeting because of untidy arrangements, he also took a wrong gate rather than the one reserved for presidents and heads of state.
He was subsequently prevented from seeing the pope by security operatives because of his late arrival.
Buhari came in while other presidents and heads of government had already lined up to shake hands with the pope, and he was prevented by security operatives from joining in.
Presidency had sought to explain away the missed meeting as not being part of the official events lined up for the president.
“The meeting at which Nigeria was reportedly absent was not one of the official events of the United Nations for which President Muhammadu Buhari and his modest delegation are in New York,” Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesman, had said.
But not only was it an official event, the focus was on the Lake Chad Basin and the effects of insurgency to which Nigeria’s full participation was expected.
The listed UN events had the item: “The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will hold a side event on food security and humanitarian consequences of conflicts-driven displacement in the Lake Chad Basin region.”
It was scheduled for 3pm US time (8pm Nigerian time), but the president’s programme prepared by the Nigerian mission did not list it as one of the events he should attend.
The session was titled “Lake Chad Basin at A Cross Road: Addressing Urgent Humanitarian Needs in An Overlooked Crisis”.
A high-level government representative of the Nigerian Government was expected to be at the event which was organised by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and chaired by Stephen O’Brien, undersecretary-general of the UN.
Witnesses to both incidents described as “embarrassing and unacceptable” the attitude of the Nigerian mission staff which led to media backlash back home and on the social media.
The witnesses also blamed the presidential media team for rushing to the press to defend the president’s absence at a very crucial meeting whose discussion was on a matter in which Nigeria has been worst hit by the activities of the insurgents.
Meanwhile, the event Buhari eventually attended in place of the one on the insurgency was not only poorly attended but was full of protocol breeches, as the president was already seated before other speakers started strolling in.
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Posted: at 27-09-2015 09:26 PM (8 years ago) | Addicted Hero
mickeytoy at 27-09-2015 09:35 PM (8 years ago) (m)
wareva....
Posted: at 27-09-2015 09:35 PM (8 years ago) | Newbie
Nigeria is not a serious country...somebody need to tell them that there is no African time abroad..if a meeting is scheduled to start at 9 am ,it will start exactly at 9...
Posted: at 27-09-2015 09:49 PM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac
freethinker at 27-09-2015 10:09 PM (8 years ago) (m)
HE USED TO MISS ROAD INSIDE ASO ROCK, NOT TO TALK OF OUTSIDE NIGERIA. HE IS BABA GO SLOW, HOW DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO MEET UP WITH TIME? AGAIN, CAN I ASK WHAT HE WANT TO SEE POPE FOR?
Posted: at 27-09-2015 10:09 PM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac
It was not the President's responsibility to drive the car to the venue. I believe that the Protocol Officials did not know that it's no longer business as usual. The Foreign Affairs ministry will definitely generate a high level query that will probably end up in reposting of these people.
Posted: at 27-09-2015 11:24 PM (8 years ago) | Upcoming
jossy4reall at 28-09-2015 04:59 AM (8 years ago) (m)
make dem no dey lie and use anoda person as a scapegoat....the same way wey he no show face for UN boko haram meeting......Buhari sabi everything wey he act for there
Love or Hate me its ur Biz, I have more important things to think abt since u never gonna change me
Posted: at 28-09-2015 04:59 AM (8 years ago) | Hero
Troublemenot at 28-09-2015 05:10 AM (8 years ago) (m)
Not only was Buhari made to come in late to the meeting because of untidy arrangements, he also took a wrong gate rather than the one reserved for presidents and heads of state.
I pray make him find him way come back ooo. make e be say na we be say na we first lost our presido in another country because him no no him way
Posted: at 28-09-2015 05:10 AM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac
The people dint understand American English well.....Pls let Mr Huhammadu Buhari take people that understand English clearly next time when going there
Posted: at 28-09-2015 05:43 AM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac
BUHARI IS AN ISLAMIC EXTREMIST AND FANATIC, HE DELIBRATELY AINT WANNA MEET, SEE AND SHAKE HAND WITH THE POPE. BUT WHO CARES, LET HIM GO AND SHAKE HAND HIS DEAD FATHER THE RAPIST MOHAMED
Posted: at 28-09-2015 07:11 AM (8 years ago) | Upcoming