President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met with the Guinea Bissau leader Umaro Embalo, at the presidential Villa, in Abuja.
Buhari used the opportunity to reiterate Nigeria’s support for Embalo’s presidency, in the crisis- ridden country
This is the second time that Embalo, who won the presidential election with 53.55 percent of the total votes cast in the run off, will be visiting Nigeria in three months.
Embalo came to Nigeria on January 6th , 2020, on what was described as a “thank you visit” to President Buhari
Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu, told State House Correspondents after the visit that it “signifies the conclusion of the process in their own country and the fact of the recognition of emergence of Embalo as president”.
According to him, it also signals the “recognition of Embalo’s Presidency given by the leaders of the ECOWAS sub-region, including Senegal, Niger which is the current ECOWAS chairman,and Nigeria.
“Essentially, he is here in Nigeria to thank our President for standing by him for his victory and for ensuring that democracy is sustained in their own country.”
Garba stated further that the President was emphatic in the meeting, as he has always been, about the fact that duty of stabilizing the West African sub-region rests on the shoulders of African leaders.
Garba said that “Nigeria and the President will not be failing in his duty”, added that “leaders of the sub-region will keep the region stable, politically, economically and in terms of security. This is the assistance he has given”.
Embalo’s election triggered fresh crises as his opponent and ruling party candidate, Domingos Simões Pereira, also claimed victory and was sworn in creating two Presidents for the country.
President Embalo speaking after meeting the Nigerian leader, applauded the country’s roles in helping to stabilise his country.
“Nigeria has an important role to play in the African continent. That’s why I will always come to Nigeria. Nigeria has shown solidarity in the most difficult periods of our country.
“Also today, you have shown solidarity towards the populace of Guinea Bissau. Therefore, we are aware that Nigeria is a reference for democracy in the whole world.
“It’s the people who make the choice. This is why I am here today to reaffirm solidarity of the people of Nigeria towards us.
“In our system, I don’t want to say it’s the best system of voting in the world because when you are voting, they will open the ballot of the votes in front of everybody present. The only mistake the CNE did is that they didn’t sign the verbal process there. But in our system also, our constitutional law says, once you don’t mention it there at the moment, it’s died there.
“In Guinea Bissau, we have one million people, they chose me. It is Allah, today, it is me. Tomorrow it is going to be another person, that is why I am President of Guinea Bissau.”
