Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has recently assured his Beninese counterpart of the country’s readiness to support the country’s upcoming polls in 2016. President Buhari, made this known at a joint news conference, after a closed door meeting which held at the Presidential Villa, in Nigeria’s Capital, Abuja.
He congratulated Yayi, who will be completing his second five-year tenure as President of Benin Republic in February 2016.
“He (President BoniYayi) is going to round up his two terms of five years.He will be 10-year old in February as a President. I congratulate him. . . Certainly, Nigeria, using its experience of holding elections, will make sure that the election in our neighbouring country goes on smoothly and as humanly possible.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the closed door meeting between the two leaders dwelt on economic integration, regional cooperation, and security within the West African sub-region.
President Buhari stated that Nigeria and Benin Republic have agreed to put in place fresh strategies to check oil theft in the Gulf of Guinea.The President also promised to expedite action on the request by Benin Republic to link its power turbine with the West Africa Gas Pipeline.
The two presidents agreed to intensify the on-going efforts to tackle the menace of Boko Haram insurgency under the auspices of the Multi-National Joint Task Force.
In his remarks, President Yayi said that his country was ready to contribute 800 men to the multi-national force. He pledged to always cooperate with Nigeria.
“President Buhari took over the mantle of government at a time terrorism, occasioned by the activities of Boko Haram, is high.To fight terrorism, Benin is ready to send about 800 men to join the men that are already prepared to fight terrorism. The team is battle-ready for deployment. . . The will-power is there and Benin is committed to deploying the men. Benin will always remain on the side of Nigeria in its trying times.”
“The sub-region is also going through serious problems of development. Fighting Boko Haram is becoming difficult because OPEC countries are going through oil crisis,” he noted.
