President Muhammadu Buhari
Qatar rejects Buhari’s visit, as Presidency wades in
Presidency has moved to deny viral reports which had claimed that Qatar rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to visit the Gulf nation this September, asking the Nigerian leader to reapply next year.
While describing the media reports as ‘incorrect,’ the Presidency said the Qatari leader, Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani did not reject Buhari’s request to visit the country this September.
It would be recalled that a report had gone viral across various media platforms which quoted official sources as claiming that Qatar had turned down a request by State House aides for President Buhari to visit the Gulf nation, this September, adding also that the Presidency staff were asked to reapply in 2023.
A letter from the Emir of the State of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, rejected a proposed visit to the country by Buhari this month, he asked the Nigerian leader to reapply in 2023.
“The Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Regions Department) and with reference to the latter’s Note M 403/2022 dated 12/08/2022 informing that H.E Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has accepted to visit Qatar on 11-12 September 2022 on invitation of H.H Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar.
“HH Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has the honour to communicate that the proposed dates for the visit are not suitable and kindly request the Nigerian side to propose other dates for the visit during the first quarter of the year 2023,” the letter read.
According to Qatari authorities, the request did not comply with appropriate protocol or diplomatic channel, which informed the country’s decision to propose alternative dates to the Nigerian officials.
However, Tuesday, the Presidency responded as it called the reports as ‘incorrect.’
Responding via his verified Twiter handle (@BashirAhmaad), the Special Assistant on Digital Communications, Bashir Ahmad, said the report was inaccurate, just as he further clarified that the request to visit the Gulf nation was not denied by Qatar.
Bashir, however, admitted that the initial request was denied the Nigerian leader.
According to Bashir Ahmad, the adjustment to Buhari’s request to visit the Gulf state ‘is entirely the result of standard diplomatic procedure.’
“This headline is entirely incorrect. Qatar didn’t reject the President’s visit. In fact, like you clearly stated it in your story; it’s Qatar that invited Nigeria and those familiar with diplomacy know how this thing works. The dates always have to be suitable for both parties,” Ahmad wrote in a tweet on Monday.
This headline is entirely incorrect. Qatar didn’t reject the President’s visit. In fact, like you clearly stated it in your story, it’s Qatar that invited Nigeria and those familiar with diplomacy know how this thing works, the dates ALWAYS have to be suitable for both parties,” read Ahmad’s post.
