Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to Kigali, Rwanda, for the extraordinary meeting of African Union Heads of State and Government, has been cancelled, sources at the Presidency have confirmed.
The meeting is billed to hold in Kigali, Rwanda, on Wednesday.
The President had been scheduled to depart Nigeria for Kigali on Monday for the signing of the framework agreement for establishing the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA).
The reason for the cancelation of the trip is not yet known.
The receving team is already in Kigali; while the advance team, comprising protocol staff, security officers and journalists were to depart Saturday were asked to return from Murtala International Airport, Lagos, where they were to take off.
Neither the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, nor the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, have official spoken on the issue as at press time.
The Federal Executive Council had Wednesday approved that Nigeria sign the framework agreement for the AfCFTA.
The council had also approved that Nigeria express her interest in hosting the secretariat of the AfCFTA.
The decision to establish the AfCFTA was taken in 2012 by all Heads of State and Government of the African Union at their 18th Ordinary Session.
AfCFTA is the first step in the implementation of AU Agenda 2063: the “Vision” for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.