Nigeria: Defective presidential plane forces Vice President Shettima to cancel trip to the United States

“Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was initially supposed to represent the president, was unable to make the trip due to a technical fault in his plane, forcing him to divert on the advice of the presidential air fleet.”

Vice President Kashim Shettima was forced on Sunday to cancel his trip to the United States, where he was scheduled to represent. President Bola Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit, due to a plane failure.

Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima’s media assistant, revealed this in a statement on Monday.

He said Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar will now represent President Tinubu at the event.

Nkwocha had said in a statement on Sunday that the vice president would depart Abuja that evening for Dallas, Texas, to represent the president, who has been out of Nigeria for more than a week.

The statement said Shettima would speak at a plenary session on Navigating Africa’s Energy Future and chair a session dedicated to promoting the “invest in Nigeria” initiative.

The vice president was also expected to attend other meetings and engagements on the sidelines of the summit before returning to Nigeria.

But Nkwocha, in his statement on Monday, said Shettima was unable to make the trip due to a technical fault in his plane.

He said the vice president was forced to make a detour on the advice of the Presidential Air Fleet.

“Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was initially supposed to represent the president, was unable to make the trip due to a technical fault in his plane, forcing him to divert following the advice of the Presidential Air Fleet,” the statement said.

Read the full statement

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE STATE CHAMBER

Foreign Minister to now represent President Tinubu at US-Africa summit

The Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, will now represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was initially supposed to represent the president, was unable to make the trip due to a technical fault in his plane, forcing him to divert on the advice of the presidential air fleet.

The Vice President will continue with other national functions.

The high-profile summit, taking place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, will bring together political and business leaders from across Africa, the United States and other regions. It has high-level dialogues, networking sessions and plenaries.

Among the expected African heads of state are President Joseph Boakai of Liberia, President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, President Joao Lourenço of Angola, President Mokgweetsi EK Masisi of Botswana, President José María Neves of Cape Verde and the Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara of Lesotho.

The United States-Africa Business Summit aims to foster economic cooperation and explore investment opportunities between the United States and African countries.

Stanley Nkwocha

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications

(Office of the Vice President)

May 6, 2024