President Muhammadu Buhari departs Abuja Friday for Paris, France to participate in the first edition of the Paris Peace Forum, November 11-13, 2018. Organised by the French Government and a number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), the Forum is based on the “simple idea that international cooperation is key to tackling global challenges and ensuring durable peace.” The Nigerian president will join the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and other world leaders in discussing contributions towards global peace while underscoring the imperative of collective action. While in Paris, Mr Buhari will also join other world leaders to commemorate the centenary anniversary of the Armistice signed on November 11, 1918 between the Allied Forces and Germany in the forest of Compiegne in France to end the First World War. During his visit to Paris, President Buhari will attend a luncheon hosted by President Emmanuel Macron of France in honour of visiting heads of delegations. Before returning to Abuja, the president and his delegation will have an interactive session with the Nigerian Community in France. President Buhari will be accompanied to Paris by Governors Aminu Masari, Willie Obiano and Kayode Fayemi of Katsina, Anambra and Ekiti States, respectively. Others include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; the National Security Babagana Monguno; and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Abubakar.
A former aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has said his son joined the campaign for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari to spite him.
Mr Okupe was in the campaign team of Senate President Bukola Saraki in his failed bid for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
But his son, Ditan Okupe, has asked to join the campaign team of Mr Buhari, a few days after the son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Olujonwo, also joined the team.
In a letter to the Buhari campaign organisation, Ditan Okupe described President Buhari as the best candidate for the top job, adding that everything must be done to prevent the PDP and its cohorts from returning to power next year.
Reacting to the development, Mr Okupe, in a tweet, said his son was supporting President Buhari to spite him over an issue they had in the past.
“Ditan Okupe is my son. He is a very brilliant young man. He went to Kings College, Lagos, Burkingham University, UK and did postgraduate in law at d London School of Economics. We both have had serious issues in the last five years.This may be his way of getting back at me. I wish him luck.”
The spokesperson of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Festus Keyamo, on Thursday gleefully tweeted the development.
“Breaking ranks with their fathers for PMB: Ditan Okupe, 1st son of Atiku’s man, Doyin Okupe, a UK-trained lawyer of 12 yrs post-call in Nigeris, volunteers to work for PMB’s campaign team just like OBJ’s son. Nigerian youths note: Atiku’s salesmen cannot even sell him to their children.”