Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, has recounted the role played by late President Muhammadu Buhari in his re-election as Deputy Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Anyaoku said Buhari personally wrote a letter endorsing his
nomination for the position and dispatched the then Secretary to the
Government, Liman Chiroma, to deliver the letter to London.
He disclosed this on Friday while fielding questions on
Arise Television’s Prime Time programme.
The former Foreign Minister stated that he was the first
minister permitted by the military government under Buhari to leave the country
following the coup that overthrew the civilian government in January 1984.
Anyaoku said:
“I was Foreign Minister for only three months, but the
notice for nominations for the position of Deputy Commonwealth
Secretary-General was to close on February 16, 1984. The coup displaced us on
January 1, literally at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
“I must say that I was the first minister allowed by the
Buhari government to leave the country. General Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon told
me, ‘We know you’ve had nothing to do with corruption, you’re free to go. But
we cannot have you as Foreign Minister.’
“I thanked them for acknowledging that I was not involved in
corruption. I also told them that even if they wanted me as Foreign Minister, I
would have declined, because I would spend much of my time explaining how I
transitioned from serving a civilian government to a military one.”
Anyaoku explained that the process for re-electing a Deputy
Commonwealth Secretary-General required endorsement from the head of state of
the candidate’s country.
“When I informed them of the requirement, Buhari said, ‘Yes,
we will do so. I will do so.’
“He not only wrote the letter but sent Liman Chiroma,
Secretary to the Government, to deliver it in person to the Commonwealth
Secretariat in London.
“At that time, three other Commonwealth governments had
nominated candidates, but when my name appeared, I was unanimously re-elected.”
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