Buhari’s ill health: Obasanjo, Babangida, Abubakar in secret meeting

The health status of President Mohammadu Buhari has necessitated a meeting of former heads of state, Gen Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar on Monday, May 1^st 2017. The meeting held behind closed doors took place between late afternoon and evening at the Hilltop Mansion of Babangida in Niger State capital, Minna. Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, was excused from the meeting shortly before it commenced, after having picked Obasanjo from the Minna International Airport. The meeting, which was reported to have lasted for over two hours, was meant to consider the consequences of the exit of Buhari at this stage of his presidency. It was also intended to review the unwritten arrangement for the rotation of power between the north and south and the aftermath of emergence of former President Jonathan after the demise of former President Umar Yar’adua. It was believed that the former heads of state were pro-active as to what approach to adopt to curtail any ugly eventuality, if President Buhari exit at this stage. Buhari has not been seen publicly since he returned from his UK trip for medical treatment over a month ago, except when he attended the Friday prayer at the Aso Rock mosque. The president has not been sighted at the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting in three weeks on a stretch. One of such meetings was called off based on an excuse that the secretariat could not present the files for it. 

Rumours suggest that Buhari is willing to vacate his seat so that he can attend to his health, but special interests in the Presidency are in opposition to such move. It was also gathered that the secret meeting in Minna denied visitors, who have always had an easy access into Babangida’s house before Obasanjo’s arrival.

 

Bello departed soon after compliments were exchanged for the meeting to commence while Obasanjo, it was said, left the venue undetected on Monday in the late hours.