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AFRICOM Declaration: Maduekwe Blames Journalists Seyi Oduyela/ Washington DC
Things have not been at ease since President Umar Yar’Adua declared his support for the US AFRICOM on Thursday. During his first meeting with President George Bush on Thursday, the Nigerian President said he believed that the establishment of the command otherwise known as AFRICOM would lead to the implementation of peace and security issues in Africa. He said, “We discussed security issues not only on Nigeria, Niger Delta, but also within the Gulf of Guinea. “And we shall partner with AFRICOM not only in Nigeria but also on the continent to actualize the peace and security initiatives which is an initiative to help standby forces in each of the regional groupings of Africa,” he added. According to our source, after Yar’Adua’s declaration for AFRICOM at the White House, he had been under attack back home, and the President’s team has been busy trying to do a damage control. On Friday at his Ritz Carlton Hotel, in Washington DC, at about 11.30pm, Mr. Ojo Maduekwe, Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister called a Press conference. Present at the press conference were Constance Ikokwu of This Day Newspaper, Sunny Ofili of The Times of Nigeria and some reporters of News Agency of Nigeria. Unlike normal press conference, it turned out to be a night of bashing for the Nigerian reporters. An inside source disclosed to African Interest that Mr. Maduekwe was mad at the reporters for making the AFRICOM declaration a headline. Our source disclosed that Mr. Maduekwe said that he should have been contacted before they use the AFRICOM as headline. It was agreed later today at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC that a press statement should be issued and sent to media houses. Mr. Sunny Ofili was to distribute the press statement. On a call to Mr. Ofili today, a lady who answered the phone said that he stepped out, but as at the time of publishing the story, Mr. Ofili has not called back.
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