G7 Summit: Security, anti-graft war makes Buhari’s top agenda

Firstclass newsline~According to a statement by his Senior Special
Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President was
received on arrival by the Vice Minister-President of Bavaria, Mrs.
Inge Aigner.
Buhari was accompanied on the trip by Governor Kashim Shettima of
Borno State; former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN);
a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.);
and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Ambassador Paul Lolo.
According to the statement, other invited Heads of State and
international institutions who will join Buhari at the working session
with G-7 leaders on Monday at Elmau include President Jacob Zuma of
South Africa, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, President
Macky Sall of Senegal, President Beji Caid Essebsi of Tunisia and
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia.
Others scheduled to participate in the Monday's session with G-7
leaders are the Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi of Iraq; the
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon; the
Secretary-General of the OECD, Mr. Angel Gurria; the Managing Director
of the IMF, Mrs. Christine Largarde; the President of the World Bank
Group, Dr. Jim Yong Kim; the Director-General of the International
Labour Organisation, Mr. Guy Rider; the Chairperson of the African
Union Commission, Mrs. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma; and the
Director-General of the World Trade Organisation.
Before leaving Munich for Nigeria on Monday, Buhari will hold
bilateral talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime
Minister Stephen Harper of Canada on the sidelines of the G-7 Outreach
Programme.
He is also expected to meet President Barack Obama, President Francois
Hollande of France, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain and other
G-7 leaders in the course of the Outreach Session and a working lunch
at the Elmau Castle.
The Head of the Bavarian regional government is scheduled to host a
dinner in honour of Buhari and other leaders invited to the G-7
Outreach Programme on Sunday (evening).
Government officials who saw Buhari off at the Nnamdi Azikwe
International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday included the Inspector-General
of Police, Solomon Arase; Commander of the Brigade of Guards,
Brig.-Gen. Anthony Omozogie; an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr.
Sikiru Akande; and the Assistant Director, Security, Federal Capital
Territory, Mr. Nebere Yeih, among others.
Meanwhile, the security problem being witnessed in parts of the
country, efforts aimed at waging war against corruption and the
nation's power problem will top the list of requests President Buhari
will present to G7 Summit, holding in Germany.
Shehu, who is currently on Buhari's entourage, disclosed this in a
statement from Munich on Sunday.
Shehu said Buhari arrived in Munich, Germany, on Sunday armed with the
"wish list" of Nigeria in line with the demand of the G7
industrialised countries.
He said the G7 had earlier requested Buhari to prepare a shopping list
and come with it for their consideration in what is seen as an
excellent goodwill gesture towards the new leader and the country.
He said top on the list the President would tender before the G7
leaders is on the problem of security.
"We have a problem which they know," Shehu quoted Buhari as saying.
He further quoted the President as adding that he had used every
opportunity at his disposal ahead of the meeting to discuss the
country's needs with specific reference to terrorism and development
needs at person-to-person meetings and telephone conversations with
some of these leaders.
"These development issues, many and varied as they are, touch on the
economy, combating corruption, increased foreign direct investment;
power and energy, infrastructure, environment, enhanced transparency
in elections and good governance," he added.
Buhari announced that the leaders of the industrialised nations have
shown a preparedness to work with Nigeria to help the country out of
her problems.
The President will hold meetings on the sidelines with the host,
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel; the French President, Francois
Hollande; Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper; the Japanese Prime
Minister, Shinzo Abe; and the World Bank President, Dr. Jim Yong Kim.
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