Donald Trump, US President
More facts have emerged on why President Muhammadu Buhari was among the earliest African leaders to congratulate US president-elect, Donald Trump on his victory over Hillary Clinton yesterday.
In a telephone interview with Business Hilights, leading financial analysts and Lagos based investment consultant, Dr. Saidu Mailafia said part of the reason why President Buhari congratulated Mr. Trump very early may not be unconnected with a planned diplomatic process that may lead to easing off bureaucratic bottlenecks currently frustrating the repatriation of looted funds especially the Abacha loot.
He said, “May looking at the person of Trump, I think he shares some of President Buhari’s characters like saying what you will do and going ahead to do it without fear or favour”.
“Buhari is man with a large heart and I think Trump has just that. Trump never say die and of course all of us here in Nigeria know our President as that. So, both of them can become even best of friends and Nigeria will gain more in the process,” Mailafia noted.
Only yesterday afternoon, vide a statement signed by Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari quoted Buhari as expressing his willingness to work with the United states’ president-elect, Donald Trump.
It added that President Buhari congratulated Trump on his victory over Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate.
President Buhari spoke in Abuja shortly after hosting the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Abuja on Wednesday.
The statement reads in parts: “On behalf of the government and people of the federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates President-elect Donald Trump on his victory in the United States presidential election,” the statement read.
“President Buhari also congratulates American citizens on the outcome of the election, which was keenly observed by all true lovers of democracy and those who believe in the will of the people.
“The president looks forward to working together with President-elect Trump to strengthen the already established friendly relations between both countries, including cooperation on many shared foreign policy priorities, such as the fight against terrorism, peace and security, economic growth, democracy and good governance.
“As Mr Trump prepares to assume the position of the President of the United States, President Buhari extends his good wishes to him on the onerous task of leading the world’s strongest economy.”
Similarly, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in US elections, hoping to work with him to improve relations.
