President Bola Tinubu has tasked the U.S. to collaborate with African countries in defending its democracies against anti-democratic forces within and outside the continent to improve its people’s living standards.
In a statement, Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, disclosed that Mr Tinubu said this when he received the U.S. presidential envoy and assistant secretary for African affairs, Molly Phee, in Abuja on Saturday.
Mr Tinubu said the crisis in the Niger Republic would not deter him from concluding his economic reform programme for the benefit of Nigerians, adding that he would only advance the interest of Nigerians in his approach toward ECOWAS’ handling of the regional standoff.
He said the crisis in Niger Republic would not deter him from concluding his economic reform programme successfully for the benefit of Nigerians.
“We are deep in our attempts to peacefully settle the issue in Niger by leveraging on our diplomatic tools. I continue to hold ECOWAS back, despite its readiness for all options, in order to exhaust all other remedial mechanisms. War is not ideal for my economic reforms, nor for the region, but the defense of democracy is sacrosanct. The ECOWAS consensus is that we will not allow anyone to insincerely buy time,” the ECOWAS Chairman said.