Nigerian Vice President’s Trip to Samoa Cancelled Due to Plane Damage
In a sudden turn of events, Vice President Kashim Shettima’s trip to Samoa to represent Nigeria at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads Of Government Summit has been cancelled. The cancellation comes after a foreign object hit his plane during a stopover at JFK Airport in New York, damaging its cockpit windscreen.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu has swiftly approved a ministerial delegation to represent Nigeria at the summit in the Samoa capital of Apia. The delegation, led by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abass Lawal, will now take the Vice President’s place at the summit, which began on October 21 and will end on October 26.
This is not the first time Vice President Shettima has had to cancel an official trip due to plane problems. In early May, he shelved a planned trip to the United States to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit due to a technical fault with his aircraft. On that occasion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, stepped in to represent the President at the event.
The Vice President was scheduled to play a key role at the US-Africa Business Summit, including speaking at a plenary session on Navigating Africa’s Energy Future and chairing a session dedicated to promoting the ‘invest in Nigeria’ initiative. He was also set to attend other meetings and engagements on the sidelines of the summit.
Vice President Shettima and Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar have since left New York for Nigeria, while the damaged plane undergoes repairs. The swift response from President Tinubu ensures that Nigeria’s representation at the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Summit is not compromised, despite the unexpected setback.
