The Presidency, on Thursday, refuted claims that President Muhammadu Buhari cancelled his trip to Ogoniland, Rivers State for the formal flag-off oil spill clean up exercise in the community.
It rather stated that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo represented the president at the occasion. It will be recalled that the presidential movement to the oil rich land had been widely publicized. Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on the eve of the trip on Wednesday made a broadcast, calling for calm and support for the president.
But at the eleventh hour Wednesday night after his advanced team had arrived Ogoniland, the president detailed his deputy to perform the ceremony thus fuelling speculation that something was amiss.
Some online portals reported that security report may have halted the President’s visit to the grieving community whose sons were killed by Nigeria’s military government years ago.
But responding to enquiries on why the president failed to appear in person, his Special Adviser on media and publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said that he was represented at the event by his deputy.
“We all went to school. There is a difference between cancellation and being represented by someone. The president did not cancel his trip to Ogoniland. He was represented by the Vice President”, Adesina said.
He did not give reason why the President did not go in person but a Presidency source justified the President’s absence, saying “there is only one Presidency in Nigeria, whether it is the President or Vice President that went is immaterial; what is paramount is that the Federal Government has kept its promise of ensuring the clean-up of Ogoni land”.
