President Goodluck Jonathan and a former Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), held a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Sunday.
The meeting, which a Presidency source described as one-on-one, came less than 24 hours after the media reported Danjuma to have said the country’s economy was in tatters.
The source said although he was not privy to the subject of their discussion, the meeting did not look like one between the President and a man, who criticised the nation’s leadership the previous day.
Danjuma was the last visitor Jonathan received before leaving for Yaounde, Cameroon, where he is to take part in the summit of heads of states and governments of the Economic Community of Central African States, Economic Community of West African States and the Gulf of Guinea Commission.
The summit begins on Monday (today) with a focus on maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea.
The source said, “You will recall that there are some media reports today (on Sunday) suggesting that Gen. Danjuma criticised the nation’s leadership.
“It will interest you to know that the same General visited the President today. In fact, he was the last visitor the President received before leaving for Cameroun.
“Although the meeting was a one-on-one session, the cordial atmosphere in which the talk was held did not suggest a meeting between a President and somebody, who just criticised the nation’s leadership a day before.”
Danjuma, while speaking on Saturday in Zaria, Kaduna State, after the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, conferred on him the title of Jarmai Zazzau, said the current situation in Nigeria was a clear indication of leadership failure over the years.
He reportedly deplored the state of the economy, which he said was in tatters.
He also said there was a widening gap between the rich and the poor.
He said the North lagged behind the rest of the country, pointing out Northern children were missing qualitative and functional education in the highly competitive world.
He said, “I have taken many risks in my life for the sake of Nigeria and at the age of 75, I thought I have paid my dues. I just wanted to spend the rest of my life in quiet retirement, leaving the public arena for a new generation of leaders to improve on the modest achievements of my generation.”
