President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, said Nigeria continues to enjoy the goodwill of other African States despite her harrowing security challenges.
“In spite of the security challenges we have, it is good to see that other countries still believe in our potentialities,” Buhari said when he received a delegation of Governors at the State House, Abuja, on Monday.
They include Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State.
According to a statement signed by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, the governors were at the State House to see the President over Fayemi’s recent emergence as President of the Forum of Regions of Africa, in his capacity as Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum.
Consequently, he congratulated Fayemi, thanking all other countries that queued behind Nigeria to emerge FORAF President.
Fayemi, who relinquishes the Presidency to the next NGF President at the expiration of his tenure in office, said the idea of FORAF was for sub-nationals to become engines of growth, “and reduce pressure on central governments.”
He added that FORAF was a unifying force for States (called Regions, Counties, or Provinces in other countries) “to create a globally respected continent,” submitting that Nigeria’s election was a testimony to the huge respect President Buhari enjoys in Africa.
“Other countries simply withdrew their bids, once they saw that Nigeria was interested in the position,” he disclosed.
The FORAF election was held after a conference in the Casablanca region, Morocco, at the weekend.
Governor Sule said the conference was well attended by governors and participants from about 22 African countries, where regional issues were discussed, and a memorandum of understanding signed on different areas like agriculture, mining, education, scholarships, and many others.
He added that while Nigeria, from West Africa, clinched the Presidency, Vice Presidents emerged from South Africa, for Southern Africa; Kenya, East Africa; Morocco, Northern Africa; and Cameroon for Central Africa.
Culled from PUNCH
