Facts have emerged on why President Muhammadu Buhari cancelled his scheduled official visit to Rivers State to flag off the clean-up Ogoniland programme.
The President was billed to personally preside over the flag off on Thursday but sent his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo, to represent him at the eleventh hour.
However, presidency sources told our correspondent in Abuja Thursday night that the cancellation may not be unconnected to the intriguing power play by the Agencies in charge of the nation’s security architecture.
According to sources, the leadership of the Department of State Services, DSS (Nigeria’s Secret Police) was said to have advised the President against undertaking the trip despite assurances by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Military High Command.
Ahead of the visit, the presidential advanced team comprising protocol, security, medical and the media had landed in Port Harcourt and Ogoniland, waiting to receive President Buhari.
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, had also on Wednesday during a broadcast to the people of the state assured Mr. President of a rousing welcome, saying they were ready to receive him.
One of the presidency source who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “There was no reason for the DSS not to have allowed President Buhari undertake the trip” said adding that there was no apparent security threat to the president’s life despite statement credited to the new Niger Delta militant group, the Avengers threatening the life of the President.
“It is most unfortunate that a well planned trip that would have endeared the president to the South-South people was aborted at the last moment.
“This historic trip would have remained indelible in the minds of the people. The People of Ogoniland as well as the entire Niger Delta people were waiting anxiously to receive the president only to be told that he would be represented by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
“The security operatives that advised him against coming to the Niger Delta just destroyed the goodwill Mr. President would have enjoyed among the people. It is most unfortunate.
“The advice was also designed to put the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the president in bad light, as one who doesn’t know what he is doing. They have been trying to undermine his office ever since but had repeatedly failed.
“This idea of ascribing health reasons to Mr. President’s inability to travel is not healthy for the government.
“It portrays the President as a sick President and that is not the case with President Buhari.
The source stated further that “the advice was also designed to put the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the president in bad light, as one who doesn’t know what he is doing. They have been trying to undermine his office ever since but had repeatedly failed”.
President Buhari had on assumption of office in May 2015, assured that he would implement the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report, which recommended the clean-up of Ogoniland that has been devastated by long years of oil spillages.
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