President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday
evening met behind closed doors with
former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The meeting which was held inside the
official residence of the President at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja, came barely 24
hours after the former President returned
to the country.
A Presidency source who pleaded
anonymity told our correspondent on
Friday that the meeting which was
described as “private” held at about 9pm.
The meeting is believed to have centred on
the renewed violence in the Niger Delta
being perpetrated by a group called the
Niger Delta Avengers.
“Indeed, the two leaders met. The meeting
was a private one. I believe it has to do
with the militants’ attacks in the Niger
Delta. The former President must have
offered useful suggestions and assistance
on the way out,” a source said.
Presidential spokesmen, Femi Adesina and
Garba Shehu, could not be reached on the
telephone for comments as of the time of
filing this report.
Jonathan had on Wednesday returned to
Nigeria after a month’s trip to the United
Kingdom and Côte d’Ivoire.
He arrived at the Port Harcourt
International Airport before heading for his
country home in Otuoke, Bayelsa State.
He left Otuoke for Abuja on Thursday to
keep the appointment with the President.
Jonathan had on May 23 dismissed a
report that he was on exile in Cote d’Ivoire.
The report by a national newspaper (not
The PUNCH) had indicated that Jonathan
had been given asylum in that Francophone
country for fear of being arrested by the
Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission .
But on May 23 Jonathan had denied the
report saying, “I’m not on exile. I have no
cause to go on exile. It is a wicked and
malicious report.”
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