Obj,buhari,babangida & david mark absent from the country centenary

THREE of President Goodluck Jonathan’s
successors-ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo; ex-
Heads of State, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari
(retd.) and Gen. Ibrahim Babangida – as well as
President of the Senate, David Mark, were on
Thursday absent from the country’s centenary
being held in Abuja.
They did not attend the international conference
held as part of activities marking the centenary,
which was attended by about 30 heads of
governments and international organisations.

But another three former leaders, Gen. Yakubu
Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Chief Ernest
Shonekan, as well as ex-Vice President Alex
Ekwueme and a former Chief of General Staff, Lt.-
Gen. Oladipo Diya (retd.) attended the event.
The conference tagged, “Human Security, Peace
and Development: Agenda for 21st Century Africa”
was held under tight security at the International
Conference Centre, Abuja.
Other dignitaries in attendance included the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu
Tambuwal; Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha; state
governors; security chiefs; former Secretary-
General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka
Anyaoku; National Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu; the
chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief
Tony Anenih; members of the diplomatic corps,
members of the National Assembly, members of
the Federal Executive Council and other top
government officials.
The heads of governments in their goodwill
messages commiserated with the Federal
Government and Nigerians on the Tuesday killing
of schoolchildren in the Federal Government
College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State.
They urged Nigerians to unite against terrorists,
saying no nation could develop in an atmosphere
of violence.
Meanwhile, civil servants and other workers with
offices located on Herbert Macaulay Way, Central
Business District Abuja, the same neighbourhood
with the venue of the event had difficulties
accessing their offices on Thursday because of the
tight security.
Many of them were forced to park away and trek
to their offices as traffic was diverted.
Armed security operatives were deployed at
strategic points in the area.