The governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima said five Governors, three of them representing the Southsouth, Southeast and Southwest and the late Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Professor Adebowale Adefuye were present when President Muhammadu Buhari held a meeting with President of the World Bank in Washington back in July, 2015, during which the president made a special appeal for the World Bank to support in the rebuilding of the Northeast.

Mr Shettima who was also at the meeting also called on Nigerians to emphasize on issues that united the country, rather than what divides it.

Shettima spoke in reference to responses following media reports claiming the World Bank President said President Muhammadu Buhari had asked for developmental attention on “Northern Nigeria”.
Governor Shettima said himself, governors Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo from the South-East, Adams Oshiomhole from the South-South, Abiola Isiaka Ajimobi from the South-West and Tanko Almakura from the North-Central were all in attendance when President Buhari met with the World Bank, during which he made an open request for the world to focus on helping the Federal Government to rebuild the North-East.
Shettima noted that it was in furtherance of the request that in 2016, the World Bank in collaboration with the European Union and office of the Vice President, organised a Recovery and Peace Building Assessment Report on the six states affected by the Boko Haram attacks in the North-East following which it was verifiably discovered that the Boko Haram had destroyed public and private infrastructure worth nine billion dollars in the North-East.
Governor Shettima said he found it necessary to clear the air because it will be unfair for him to keep silent while President Buhari is misunderstood in his attempt to help in rebuilding Borno and other parts of the North-East.