My mission to Mali, for peace – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has gone on record to explain the reason why he visited Mali on Friday.

In a message that he posted on his Facebook Timeline, the President explained that the trip was in furtherance of his efforts aimed at ensuring that peace reigns in Mali.
A national newspaper had reported on Saturday that Jonathan’s trip to Mali was a secret one.
The President however posted photographs of when he was by President Ibrahim Keita of Mali at the airport in Bamako and when they had a meeting.
He said his conviction was that Nigeria must remain in the forefront of all efforts aimed at restoring peace to Mali and beyond.

President Jonathan wrote, “Today (Friday), I was in Mali where I met and discussed with President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in furtherance of peace in Mali.

“My conviction is that Nigeria must be a facilitator for peace in the West African sub-region and beyond.”

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, had also posted the same set of photographs on his Twitter Timeline under the hash-tag “#MaliPeaceAccord.”
Unlike Jonathan’s previous foreign trips, however, the Presidency did not issue any statement announcing the journey to Bamako.