Buhari, Jonathan in closed-door meeting

President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly met with his predecessor, former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday evening in his official residence at Aso Rock, Abuja.

The closed meeting door reportedly took place at 9 pm on Thursday, barely 24 hours after Jonathan made an unexpected return from Côte d’Ivoire where he was said to be holidaying.

A top Presidency source, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed in Abuja last night that the meeting, which was described as “private,” held at about 9pm.

The meeting is believed to have centred on the renewed violence in the Niger Delta being perpetrated by a group called the Niger Delta Avengers.

According to the source: “The two leaders met. The meeting was a private one. I believe it has to do with the militants’ attacks in the Niger Delta.

“The former President must have offered useful suggestions and assistance on the way out.”

Jonathan returned to Nigeria on Wednesday this week after a month’s trip to the United Kingdom and Côte d’Ivoire, amidst media speculations that he had gone on exile, a claim he described as baseless.

He arrived at the Port Harcourt International Airport before heading for his country home in Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

Jonathan left Otuoke for Abuja on Thursday to keep the appointment with Buhari.

A newspaper report had indicated that Jonathan had been given asylum in the Francophone West African country for fear of being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

But he insisted that he had nothing wrong to warrant his going into exile.

Most top government officials were tight-lipped on the visit, with one insisting that it may have to do with the activities of the NDA and how the former President can be brought on board to rein in the militants, because of the economic implications of their activities.

Another suggested that the kite being flown on the planned arrest of the Jonathan may have featured.

He hinted that the embarrassment caused by the newspaper report and that a petition had been filed with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) “were not smokes without fire.”

The insider suggested that the Jonathan camp might have seen the two moves as the handiwork of those within government bent on roping him into something by all means.

It was not clear last night at whose behest Thursday night’s meeting held, as spokesmen on all sides chose not to speak.

But it would be recalled that in addition to the denial by Jonathan that he had gone on exile, his aides and supporters had circulated statement, saying: “It is laughable that anyone would think Jonathan would run off into exile. For what reason exactly?

“What offence has he committed that would compel him to abscond from this country?”

They said the whole story was aimed at tarnishing the image of the former President by individuals working hand in glove with the present government, adding that the latest move by his detractors smacked of desperation.

“They have repeatedly tried to rubbish him and failed. They arrested his close aides, including even his cousin and have tried to coerce them into implicating him, but have also not being successful.

“Now, they have hit upon another strategy and this will clearly fail.”

He added: “It is a despicable attempt at trying to give a dog a bad name into order to snuff life out of it.

“It is common knowledge that Jonathan was one of the principal actors behind the end of militancy in the Niger Delta first as Vice President under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and then later as President himself.

“So, how can he suddenly turn around to instigate them to cause violence and disruption of the nation’s economic wellbeing through blowing up of pipelines and other oil facilities?

“Here was a man who was in power and did not take any step to consolidate on his power. He said it from Day One that his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian. Many did not believe him, but when push came to shove, he lived up to his word by handing over when he lost the 2015 election.

“As President, he could have resisted and used the nation’s security apparatus to consolidate his hold on power, but he chose to be law abiding.

“How then can any right-thinking individual accuse him of instigation militants to take up arms against Nigeria?”