Despite rumors of a perceived snub, President Bola Tinubu is set to visit Qatar in March for scheduled bilateral discussions. Speculations arose when a leaked memo between the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was misconstrued to imply a snub by the Asian nation’s authorities.
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Saturday, confirming that President Tinubu’s visit would proceed as planned. The statement by spokesperson Francisca Omayuli affirmed, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the forthcoming visit by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the State of Qatar on 2-3 March, as scheduled. The visit will include bilateral discussions at the highest level across a full range of strategic, diplomatic, and economic issues.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar emphasized the longstanding friendship and close bilateral relations between Nigeria and Qatar, expressing the belief that President Tinubu’s visit would strengthen this significant relationship.
Presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga dismissed the leaked memo as the work of “mischief makers” and clarified that it pertained to a private sector-led Business and Investment Forum on the sidelines of President Tinubu’s State Visit. Onanuga highlighted the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries and emphasized that President Tinubu’s visit was at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, His Highness, Sheik Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani.
