Vice President Kashim Shettima’s sudden cancellation of his trip to the ongoing Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in Samoa has sparked mixed reactions on social media, with many Nigerians questioning the rationale behind the decision and the federal government’s approach to addressing the incident.
Shettima, who was delegated by President Bola Tinubu to represent Nigeria at the summit, reportedly aborted the trip after a foreign object struck and damaged the cockpit windscreen of his plane during a stopover at JFK Airport in New York. The presidency, in a statement released on Thursday night by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that the vice president’s return to Nigeria was necessitated by the damage.
https://x.com/NTANewsNow/status/1849645714982244501?t=JBIrSucqlp6QAVtrugDgmg&s=19
However, the explanation did little to quell speculations and criticism from the public. A section of netizens expressed sympathy for Shettima, acknowledging the potential danger of flying with a damaged windscreen. On the other hand, critics questioned why the vice president could not continue the journey on a commercial flight, especially since he was already in the United States.
One comment read, “Why can’t they travel commercial to Samoa from New York? Since they’re already in the vicinity. Nigeria’s government and profligacy.”
Others suggested that the incident could serve as a pretext for the government to acquire a new aircraft for the vice president, with a user quipping, “Strategy to buy him a new one in these hard times.”
Another netizen echoed this sentiment, predicting, “The next you’ll hear now is buying the vice president a new plane.”
Some commenters called for a thorough investigation into the incident, urging the federal government not to take the situation lightly. “I hope the Nigeria government will push for further investigation on the incident rather than treating it with levity,” one concerned citizen wrote.
Read some netizens’ reactions to Shettima cancelled trip below;
@iamxalcox: I hope the Nigeria government will push for further investigation on the incident rather than treating it with levity.
@julikay: Why can’t they travel commercial to Samoa from New York? Since they already in the vicinity, Nigeria government with profilgacy
@davifyboy: The next you’ll hear now is buying the vice president a new plane
@tunderabiu: Strategy to buy him a new one in this hard times
@akeem: We thank Allah for the safety of our vice president and his entourage.
Amid the controversy, the presidency has announced that Nigeria will still be represented at the summit by a ministerial delegation led by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abass Lawal. Vice President Shettima and Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar have both left New York and are expected to return to Nigeria shortly.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit, which commenced on October 21, will conclude on October 26 in Apia, the capital of Samoa.
