From Aidoghie
Paulinus, New York
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that there was no cause for alarm over the President’s stopover in London after the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
This is even as the Minister said the President’s agenda, particularly on the economy, would be focused on rather than to be distracted.]
Onyeama spoke in New York while briefing journalists on Nigeria’s participation at the ongoing UNGA.
Recall that the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had in a statement on Friday disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari would return to London after attending the UNGA.
However, Adesina neither disclosed the purpose of Buhari’s visit to London nor when he would return.
The development had raised concerns over the President’s health.
But Onyeama said the President would be leading the delegation to the General Assembly and he is in very good health.
“He is really back to what he was doing before. He had a very long cabinet meeting two days ago (Wednesday) and he was in excellent form in every way possible.
Onyeama further said the President was back to his very punishing schedule, adding that he was just fantastic.
He dismissed fears that the president would not be able to make the UNGA trip, insisting that the president would make the trip.
“The reality is that Mr. President would be here, he is in excellent health and he is going to be leading a very strong high-level Nigerian delegation,” Onyeama stated.
On the declaration of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by the Defence Headquarters as a terrorist organisation, Onyeama said he believed that the military must have acted based on experience.
“I think this would obviously come from their experiences. They are obviously on the frontline.
“So, if that is what they are saying, it must be maybe because there have been incidences that they have had to deal with directly,” Onyeama noted.
On possible answers the government has for the international community regarding Biafra, Onyeama further said that the implementation of the President’s agenda for the country was more important than distractions.
“Mr. President came and has an agenda for the country. And we really just don’t want to be distracted from that agenda.
“On the economy which was in a terrible state when this government came in: we went into recession and for the first time in decades and we are just coming out of that recession. And we want to keep on that path.
“We believe that a lot of these issues and challenges in the country have their basis in economics. If we can provide a good standard of living and quality of life for our people, all these issues will fall by the way side.
“So, that is why we must not be distracted from transforming the economy of our country.
“What I am saying is that we want to focus on the economy. We believe that if we can get the economy right, a lot of the young people who feel that Nigeria, as presently constituted is not addressing their problems, is not giving them hope, will change,” Onyeama said.
In his earlier remarks, specifically on terrorism, Onyeama acknowledged that Boko Haram hasn’t completely gone away, saying that there was the military aspect and that the country has been engaging robustly, vigorously and largely successfully in dismantling Boko Haram.
He said the government would engage the international community during the General Assembly since terrorism is a global challenge.
Similarly, the minister disclosed that the figure of stolen assets from the country was staggering.
The development, Onyeama noted, was a major barrier to economic development of the country, saying the nation had been engaging very aggressively and robustly with countries around the world to put the issue of anti corruption and the repatriation of stolen funds at the top of international agenda.