Onyeama: Buhari fires up to lead UNGA delegation

President Muhammadu Buhari is in excellent shape and form to lead the Nigerian delegation to the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the Federal Government has said.

The minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who declared this at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York, said Buhari was “now firing up”.

The Presidency had said that Buhari would depart Abuja on Sunday for New York to participate at the high-level events.

Mr Onyeama said speculations in some quarters about the president’s health and his ability to withstand the rigours of the high-level event scheduled from Sept. 19 to 25, was unnecessary.

“President Muhammadu Buhari is in very good health to lead the UN General Assembly delegation.

“The president is in excellent form in every way possible. We had the Federal Executive Council Meeting on Wednesday that lasted very long beyond the usual.

“He presided over the Federal Executive Council meeting throughout. He’s now firing up and very fantastic,” Mr Onyeama said.

According to him, there is no doubting the fact that the president would make the trip to the U.S. and participate in all the events scheduled for the country.

The minister stressed: “He (Buhari) will make the trip; you know the buzz word in the world today is ‘fake news’.

“So I think it’s a reality of modern journalism, may be because the internet, the cyber face makes journalist of everybody.

“So all kinds of news filters through but the reality is that Mr President will be here. He’s in excellent health and he’s going to be leading a very strong high-level Nigerian delegation.

Mr Onyeama said that aside other high-level engagement, Buhari would meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to further strengthen the bilateral tie between the two countries.

The Nigerian leader would hold a lunch meeting with Trump along with other world leaders.

“The relations are good, so we just hope they would continue to be good and by all accounts, we are going in the right direction.

“What would be discussed are some of the global issues – trade issues with Africa, conflict in Africa, global conflict will also certainly be discussed,” the minister said.

The high point of Buhari’s activities would be his participation in the General Debate during which he would deliver Nigeria’s National Statement on Tuesday, the first day of the general debate.