Aircraft Technical Fault: Shettima Aborts US Trip, Send Tuggar

Vice-President Kashim Shettima who was scheduled to represent President Bola Tinubu at a Summit in Dallas, Texas has aborted the trip following a technical fault with his aircraft.

Shettima was to represent the President at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit organised by the Corporate Council on Africa. Mr Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of The Vice-President, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Nkwocha said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, will represent the President at the Summit, as Shettima could not be able to make the trip. He stressed that the technical fault forced the Vice President to make a detour on the advice of the Presidential Air Fleet.

According to Nkwocha, the Vice President will carry on with other national duties. He stated that the high-profile summit, taking place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, would bring together political and business leaders from across Africa, the United States, and other regions.

Nkwocha added that the summit would feature high-level dialogues, networking sessions, and plenary.

He said that the African leaders expected at the summit include, the President, of the Republic of Liberia; Joseph Boakai, the President, of the Republic of Malawi; Lazarus Chakwera and the President, of the Republic of Angola, Joao Lourenço.

Nkwocha said other African leaders that would grace the summit are the President, of the Republic of Botswana, Mokgweetsi E. K. Masisi, President, of the Republic of Cabo Verde, José Maria Neves, and the Deputy Prime Minister, of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Nthomeng Majara.

He said that the US-Africa Business Summit is expected to foster economic cooperation and explore investment opportunities between the United States and African countries.