Why President Buhari did not attend South East Economic and Security Summit – Presidency; Lagos, Kebbi receive Presidential commendation on Lake Rice

The Presidency has refuted reports that President Muhammadu Buhari snubbed the organizers of the South East Economic and Security Summit by not attending the event, explaining that he heeded the counsel of some leaders of the zone who reasoned that his visit to the area so close to the Yuletide “may come with overexertion and possibly, be disruptive of Christmas.”
A statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity) said:
Contrary to media reports alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari snubbed the recent South-East Economic and Security Summit in Enugu, below is the accurate account:
The President was presented with a request to attend the Economic and Security Summit by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.
The President happily accepted. The visit to Enugu was scheduled for Thursday 22nd as can be found on the weekly programme. After this was done, some other stakeholders from the South East came and advised him not to go in view of the closeness of the date to Christmas; given the sensitivity of the period to the people, a presidential visit may come with overexertion and possibly, be disruptive of Christmas.
In view of this, President Buhari requested that the event be pushed forward to January 2017. Given his nature, he did not insist. He said if the change of date is not possible, then the event could go on without him. That is what the organizers chose to do.
The President did not, and he absolutely has no reason to snub anyone.
The President has also commended Lagos and Kebbi States for the successful partnership that gave rise to the local production of LAKE Rice (Lagos-Kebbi Rice).

The President particularly saluted the commitment of Governors Akinwunmi Ambode and Atiku Bagudu in bringing to fruition the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in March 2016 aimed at substantially meeting the country’s rice requirement.
He also expressed delight at the relatively cheaper price of LAKE Rice especially at this period of recession.
“It gladdens my heart to get reports of our citizens rushing to purchase this cheaper local rice to enable them and their families enjoy the Christmas and New Year celebrations,” the President noted, stressing that “there’s more to come.”.
According to President Buhari, what the two states have done is “evidence of a new base being laid for the Nigerian economy, founded and propelled by agriculture, away from substantial dependence on oil and gas for national revenue.”
The President recalls that in his 2017 Budget presentation before the National Assembly, he said that “a new era is rising in which we must grow what we eat and consume what we make,” adding that the LAKE Rice achievement is in furtherance of the above goal.