Faulty aircraft prevents Shettima from representing Tinubu at US summit

Vice President Shettima will no longer be representing President Bola Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas.

The Vice President was scheduled to leave Nigeria on Sunday, May 5, 2024, but his aircraft developed a technical fault, forcing him to abort his trip to the United States.

Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications to the Vice President, made this known in a statement on Monday, May 6, 2024.

According to him, due to the development, Shettima will stay back in the country to carry on with other national duties, while the whereabouts of his principal remain unknown to Nigerians.

The statement reads in part, “Vice President Kashim Shettima who was originally scheduled to represent the President was unable to make the trip following a technical fault with his aircraft, forcing him to make a detour on the advice of the Presidential Air Fleet. The Vice President will carry on with other national duties.

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

Minister of Foreign Affairs To Now Represent President Tinubu at US-Africa Summit

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

— Stanley Nkwocha (@stanleynkwocha_) May 6, 2024

As a result, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has now been scheduled to represent President Tinubu at the summit.

According to Nkwocha, the summit, taking place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, will bring political and business leaders from across Africa, the United States, and other regions together.

“It features high-level dialogues, networking sessions, and plenaries. Among the African heads of state expected are President Joseph Boakai of Liberia, President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, President Joao Lourenço of Angola, President Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi of Botswana, President José Maria Neves of Cabo Verde, and Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara of Lesotho,” he said.