President Jonathan Meets Thabo Mbeki, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Cardinal Onaiyekan & Others

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday held closed-door meeting with Nigeria’s former Head of State, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd.) and a former South African president, Thabo Mbeki. The meeting was held inside the president’s official residence inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Although none of the participants spoke to journalists on the subject of the meeting, it was gathered that it had to do with how to ensure peace and success in the forthcoming general elections rescheduled for March 28 and April 11 this year.

Also in attendance at the meeting were service chiefs, including the chief of defence staff, Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh; the inspector-general of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, as well as the leadership of the major political parties.

Others who attended the meeting were the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III; Catholic archbishop of Abuja, John cardinal Onaiyekan ; Catholic bishop of Sokoto diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; former chief of general staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe; special adviser to the president on inter-party relations, Senator Ben Obi.