Jonathan, Buhari, Other Nigerian leaders’ Meeting Held [Chibok Schoolgirls Top Agenda]

The former leaders present at the meeting were Ernest Shonekan, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Muhammadu Buhari, Yakubu Gowon, and Shehu Shagari.

The Borno governor was also at the meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

How to ensure the safe return of the over 250 school girls kidnapped from Chibok, Borno State, topped discussions at a meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and other Nigerian leaders on Thursday night.

This was disclosed by Mr. Jonathan’s spokesperson, Reuben Abati.

The former leaders thus pledged to do everything they can to support Mr. Jonathan and the Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, to find the girls and resolve the Boko Haram insurgency.

Ibrahim Babangida, the former military ruler was absent because of the death of the senator representing his constituency, Awaisu Kuta, who died on Thursday. Mr. Babangida sent his apologies, Mr. Abati said.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was absent from the meeting, which lasted for about an hour over dinner. No reason was given for Mr. Obasanjo’s absence.

The teenage school girls were kidnapped from their dormitory at the Government Secondary School, Chibok, on April 14 by the Boko Haram.

Several countries including the U.S. and the U.K. have been assisting Nigeria in efforts to rescue them.

Update: Jonathan, Buhari, Abubakar, other Nigerian leaders to hold “private” meeting

President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to meet with past Nigerian heads of states and governments at the Presidential Villa, Thursday night.

The meeting, scheduled for 8 p.m., is classified as private.

At the time of this report, it was not clear if all the former leaders were invited, and would attend the meeting.

The focus of the meeting was also not stated, but is expected to be centred on the worsening security situation across the country, particularly the threat posed by the Boko Haram insurgent group.

The meeting is coming on heels of worries expressed by Mr. Jonathan on the conduct and utterances of senior politicians which he said were encouraging terrorists and capable of jeopardising the 2015 general elections.

Mr. Jonathan said this at the All-Political Parties Summit which took place in Abuja earlier on Thursday.

“If our state enterprise fails, no political party or politician can stand it,” the president said. “Hence at a time such as this, when our existence as a nation is threatened by anti-democratic forces, we politicians and political parties must rise to the higher moral grounds in defence and protection of our existence as one nation and one people.”

Two former Heads of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Muhammadu Buhari; former Vice President Alex Ekwueme and former Chief of General Staff, Ebitu Ukiwe, attended the summit and are expected to attend the Thursday night meeting.

A former president, Shehu Shagari, was represented by his son at the summit.

If invited, other former leaders expected at the meeting would be former Nigerian leaders, Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, and Ernest Shonekan.