Buhari and Issoufou

President Muhammadu Buhari has apologised to his Nigerien counterpart,  President Mahamadou Issoufou that he would be unable to attend his second term inauguration at the weekend.

Buhari who is in the United States to attend the Nuclear Security Summit,  has however congratulated Issoufou for winning re-election.

President Buhari extended his best wishes to  the Nigerien leader  and the people of Niger Republic after the peaceful elections, saying that it bodes well for the progress of the country.

He wished  President Issoufou a successful new term in office.

Issoufou won his re-election by locking up his main opposition rival, Hama Amadou since November last year, framing him up for a baby trafficking charge involving Nigeria. Issoufou in the first election failed to win  50 per cent of the votes and went into a run-off with Amadou. The opposition coalition boycotted the election, Amadou himself fell ill in jail and was ferried to France for urgent care  and Issoufou coasted home unchallenged with over 92 per cent of the votes.