17th May, 2023
More details of the about 20- minute telephone conversation between Nigeria’s President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have emerged.
Blinken spoke with inubu who is presently in France ahead of his inauguration of 29 May as Nigeria’s president spoke on telephone on Tuesday.
The phone call was initiated by Blinken who had earlier congratulated Tinubu on his victory in the February 25 presidential election, Tunde Rahman, the spokesperson for the President-Elect said in a statement.
According to him, the conversation between the US diplomat and Tinubu was frank and friendly.
During the conversation, Tinubu reportedly promised to hit the ground running and unify the country upon his assumption of office on May 29.
He also pledged to ensure positive relations with the United States.
Tinubu also assured Blinken that among his immediate priorities would be to deliver institutional reforms and development programs to deepen our democratic institutions and bring help to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
He also expressed his determination to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and faithfully serve the people as their president.
During the talks, President-elect Tinubu spoke about his eventful sojourn in America in the 70s, where he graduated with honours as an accountant in 1979.
He also recalled how he was granted asylum by the US when, due to his determined struggle for democracy in Nigeria, he was forced into exile by the late General Sani Abacha’s military junta.
While affirming his democratic bonafides , President-elect Tinubu expressed his absolute belief that the result of the elections, which he clearly won, reflected the will of the Nigerian people.
He said he would work to unite the country and ensure that Nigerians are happy and enjoy the benefits of democracy and progressive good governance.
Responding to Secretary Blinken, the President-elect said without national unity, security, economic development and good governance, Nigeria would not become a better place to live in or play her proper role in the comity of African nations.
He urged the US to factor in Nigeria’s important place in Africa and provide needed assistance in the 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.
Secretary Blinken assured that Nigeria should expect a good and mutually-beneficial relationship with the US.
He promised to play his part in bringing a sustained and cordial relationship between the two nations to fruition, saying a democratic and peaceful Nigeria is important to the United States as it is to Africa.
Both President-elect Tinubu and Secretary Blinken ended their discussion with pleasant greetings and a promise to keep the channels of dialogue and communication open, while maintaining a strong relationship between the two nations.