DESPITE complaints by the opposition parties and some notable Nigerian over frequent foreign trips made by President Muhammadu Buhari in his first four-year term, Buhari is kicking off his second term with yet another foreign trip.

Buhari is departing Abuja on Thursday, a day after his inauguration for the second four-year term, to attend the Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, OIC, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, said in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja that the 14th session of the Summit Conference of the OIC, scheduled to hold on May 31, would be hosted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and attended by Heads of State and Governments of member states.

According to the OIC Secretariat, the Summit to be convened under the theme, “Makkah al-Mukarramah Summit: Hand in Hand toward the Future,” seeks to develop a unified stance on events in the Islamic world.

He said that Buhari would address the forum and underscore the need for member countries to unite and work together to combat common challenges such as terrorism and violent extremism.

The statement added that Buhari would also push forward themes that have been at the forefront of his domestic and international priorities, including reviving the Lake Chad Basin, investing in Nigeria to create jobs and financing for development.

“On the margins of the summit, the Nigerian leader will hold bilateral meetings with world leaders to promote increased cooperation and collaboration on issues of mutual concern,” he said.

According to him, Buhari, who will be accompanied by Governors Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State and some top government officials, is scheduled to return to the country on June 2.

– May 30, 2019 @ 15:57 GMT |