Foreign Leaders Save Buhari From Embarrassment As Obasanjo, Jonathan, Others Shun June 12 Democracy Day

In a development similar to that of May 29 when he was inaugurated for his second term, all Nigerian former heads of state and presidents stood aloof from President Muhammad Buhari's maiden celebration of Democracy Day on June 12 yesterday.

Former presidents and Heads of state were scheduled to be seated at the Eagle Square, the venue of the event, at 9:35 am but they were visibly absent at about 10:06 am when President Muhammadu Buhari arrived the venue.

The event is the first since Buhari approved June 12 as Democracy Day in honour of MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election.

It would be recalled that May 29 had been observed as democracy day since the return of democracy in the country in 1999.

Buhari took his oath of office for his second term on May 29, but major events of the programme were moved to June 12.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, as well as Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, were in attendance.

While Yakubu Gowon, former head of state, attended the May 29 event, he was conspicuously absent on Wednesday.

Aside from Gowon, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Ibrahim Babangida, also former heads of state as well as Ernest Shonekan, former interim president, were absent at the celebration.

Ex-presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan also shunned the event.

But world leaders majority of whom are from Africa were on hand to celebrate the day with the leadership of the country.

The world leaders in attendance were President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania; President Paul Kagame of Rwanda; President George Weah of Liberia; President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo; and President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana.

President Macky Sall of Senegal; President Adama Barrow of Gambia; President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic; President José Mário Gómes Vaz of Guinea-Bissau and President Patrice Talon of Benin Republic were also present at the celebration.

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