President Bola Tinubu on Sunday requested the support of the German Chancellor Olaf Scholzin the fight against terrorism in Nigeria.
Tinubu made the request in a bilateral meeting with the German Chancellor at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Sunday.
He said: “We are fighting terrorism and that is improving. We still need more support in that area. And in order for us to sustain democracy, the rule of law, and the freedom of our people, we must fight for democracy.
“And democracy must triumph at all times so that we can live up to the expectations of an African dream. That is why your visit this time is more than necessary.
“As you may have noticed, I do not need to talk about the various problems occurring in the African Sahel region. You have seen and noticed the coup in Guinea and recently in Niger Republic.
“We have people who manage the situation diplomatically. The need for you to assist with security will be emphasized and we will continue to require your knowledge.
“We thank you for your past contributions, particularly regarding police and law enforcement training. We need more help. And today we will continue discussing.”
The president said that following the Supreme Court ruling validating his election, his administration would focus on good governance to move the country forward.
He said his administration was determined to change the narrative and bring about a transformative government in the country.
“Just a few days ago the Supreme Court of Nigeria had the final say on our electoral exercise.
“The distraction is over. This gives us more time to focus on governance for the people and move Nigeria towards economic opportunities and prosperity that uphold democracy.
“Our economic team and group members are all here ready to partner with you, with Germany being the largest economy in Europe.
“And the largest economy in Africa is Nigeria, so we are blessed with a good environment, climate and mineral resources.
“Our hydrocarbon industry is still in its infancy environmentally as we move towards transitional energy sources.
“I know that Germany has made great progress in environmental protection and energy modernization to meet the needs of the world and Europe in particular in the 21st century.”
Scholz speaks
For his part, Scholz expressed Germany’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
He said: “And it is important for us to make this a way of life for the countries. It is good for a better future for our people. That’s why I’m very happy that we can work on this discussion.
“We will look at how we can continue to support them to do their best and have these questions of insecurity in their country as well.
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“We will go into details later, but I can assure you that we will continue our support and cooperation in this field.”
He said one of the main aspects of cooperation between the two countries would be to develop the economy and take advantage of Nigeria’s economic opportunities.
“As you have already said, there are many possibilities not only in the case of gas and oil, which are traditionally linked to your country.
“But there is a lot of room for improvement, using the capabilities of your country, but also to make investments for the future, which have to do with hydrogen.” (YAYA)
