Date Published: 09/23/09

Sir,

What a shame to Nigeria leadership

We all read about how President Yar’Adua has decided to miss a life-time opportunity of putting Nigeria rebranding concept better to the entire world through United Nations Assembly where he was slotted to talk about the country he presides over. That meeting, which starts Wednesday 23 rd September 2009 at the United Nations Headquarters, had other openings for private meetings in which the President would have interacted with others, especially Obama, and corrected any wrong impression the world leaders have of Nigeria. Instead the President chose to send Foreign Affairs Minister Ojo Maduekwe who would not have the opportunity of sitting in those exclusivities.

I do not have much misgiving about the president’s miscalculations on this issue but what got me angry was reading in the media today (22/09/09) that the President was leaving for a working visit to Saudi Arabia today, a day to when he had the opportunity to clear issues with the world about our nation. The president had recently visited Saudi Arabia for both lesser Hajj and medical checkup. Why going to the place again? If the President’s health is deteriorating, the nation should know so that we all go into prayers for improvement because there would not be any justification travelling again to Saudi Arabia. We cannot accept the simple reason that the President wants to have some talks with the Saudi King (the opportunity he did not have during the lesser Hajj?) and also what is special for him to be the Special Guest of Honour at the opening of the new King Abdullah University of Science and Technology than presently an address at the United Nations?

I believe the President has a serious explanation to make to the nation unless we are being told that we do not have a democratically elected one.

Itoro Akpabio

Umuahia Road

Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State