U.S. Secretary of State calls President-elect on phone
Keyamo chides fuming Atiku for criticising Blinken’s actions
Institutional reforms and rapid development will get immediate priority from the incoming administration, President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said.
The target of the reforms is to bring help to the downtrodden and vulnerable Nigerians, Tinubu added.
Besides, he pledged to unify the country and ensure the continuation of the positive relationship between Nigeria and the United States (U.S.).
Tinubu spoke during a 20-minute discussion with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday night.
It was the first direct talks between the U.S. top diplomat and the president-elect, who is currently in Paris, France.
The phone call was initiated by Blinken.
Separate statements from the Tinubu media office and the U.S. Department of State confirmed the telephone interaction.
But the Blinken telephone call to Tinubu left the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in February 25 election Atiku Abubakar fuming.
The statement by Tunde Rahman of the Tinubu Media Office quoted the President-elect as expressing his determination to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and faithfully serve the people.
Tinubu recalled being granted asylum by the U.S. when he was forced into exile during his struggle for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria.
He expressed his absolute belief that the result of the election which he clearly won reflected the will of the Nigerian people.
He further urged the U.S. to factor in Nigeria’s place in Africa and provide needed assistance in areas of security and economic investment in order for the nation to lead the way and be a shining example to the rest of the continent.
Blinken assured that Nigeria should expect a good and mutually beneficial relationship with the U.S.
He promised to play his part in ensuring and sustaining a cordial relationship between the two nations, saying a democratic and peaceful Nigeria is important to the U.S. as it is to Africa.
Blinken’s office statement by Matthew Miller said: “The Joe Biden administration is committed to strengthening ties with Nigeria.
“He emphasised his continued commitment to further strengthening the U.S.-Nigeria relationship with the incoming administration.
“The Secretary noted that the U.S.-Nigeria partnership is built on shared interests and strong people-to-people ties and that those links should continue to strengthen under President-elect Tinubu’s tenure.
“Secretary Blinken and President-elect Tinubu discussed the importance of inclusive leadership that represents all Nigerians, continued comprehensive security cooperation, and reforms to support economic growth.”
