Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima has aborted his trip to United States where he is to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas as the Presidential jet he was travelling with developed technical fault mid-way.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, explained in a statement that Shettima had to abort the trip on the advice of the crew of the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).
The statement said that with the development, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, will now represent President Tinubu at the Business Summit.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield will serve as Head of United States Delegation to the summit being hosted by the the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA).
The statement read: “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 Dallas, Texas.
“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.
“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 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.
“The US-Africa Business Summit aims to foster economic cooperation and explore investment opportunities between the United States and African countries.”
Recall that the Vice President’s spokesman, Mr. Nkwocha, had in a statement on Sunday said that Senator Shettima would depart Abuja that Sunday night to represent President Tinubu in the US-Africa Summit in Dallas, Texas.
The Summit is scheduled to hold from May 6 to May 9, 2024.