Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has confirmed that he held a private meeting with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, in London on Saturday.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) insinuated that a picture showing Messrs. Blair, Buhari and Governor Amosun as well as a former Kwara state governor, Bukola Saraki, was photoshopped.
While Buhari’s campaign office had stated that the former head of state was in the U.K. on a working visit, the PDP led by Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti claimed that Buhari is in the UK for medical treatment.
To strengthen their claim, critics said Mr. Blair was not in the U.K. on Saturday and could therefore not have met Buhari.
Newsmen on Monday contacted the office of Mr. Blair for confirmation and we got a response that the meeting actually held.
“Mr. Blair had a private meeting with General Muhammadu Buhari in London,” said Rianne Buter in an email response.
Ms. Buter also said Mr. Blair “hopes to visit Nigeria shortly when he will see the President”.
Mr. Buhari’s campaign office also issued a statement saying the APC candidate “would hopefully give a talk at the prestigious foreign policy hub, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, in London.”
Chatham House has now confirmed that Mr. Buhari will speak Thursday on the topic: “Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s Transition”.
Details of the event as posted on the website of Chatham House also revealed that Mr. Buhari would speak for one hour between 10 and 11a.m. and the event would be chaired by Richard Gozney, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria between 2004 and 2007.
Chatham House encourages interested persons to send questions to Mr. Buhari via Twitter.
“Send questions for the speaker by using #CHAfrica on Twitter. A selection will be put to him during the event,” it said