President Muhammadu Buhari Friday met with the President of
ECOWAS Commission and Chairperson of the African Union Commission, at State
House, Abuja, during which he emphasized the need for accountability and good
neighbourliness in both the sub-region, and on the African continent.
Receiving first His Excellency Marcel A. de Souza, president
of the ECOWAS Commission, President Buhari said it was gladdening that the
organization was demanding accountability from its headquarters staff, which
made it recently invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
from Nigeria, to look into its books.
"Thanks for being firm, and for insisting on
transparency and accountability at the ECOWAS headquarters," President
Buhari said, adding that Nigeria would continue to fulfill its obligations to
the sub-regional body.
Nigeria hosts the 52nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS
Authority of Heads of State and Government Saturday, December 16, 2017, in
Abuja.
President Buhari said he expected a formal report on the situation
in Guinea Bissau at the meeting, noting: "We need our troops back home,
and I hope the President of that country will accept a constitutional way to
resolve the situation there."
The ECOWAS Commission boss thanked Nigeria for agreeing to
host the 52nd Ordinary Session at short notice, adding that the impact of
Nigeria was quite strong in the organization.
"We are under financial pressure due to terrorist
attacks in the sub-region, but Nigeria being out of recession will have an
impact on the entire region," de Souza said.
He noted that Nigeria was the highest contributor of troops
to Guinea Bissau, but admitted that "the troops can't be there
endlessly."
At the meeting with His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat of
the African Union Commission, President Buhari said good neighbourliness and
relationship were important for security and economic development.
"That was why I visited all our neighbours. Such
relationship is crucial for security, and economic development, so that our
youths can get jobs," the President noted.
On the situation in Libya, President Buhari reiterated that
not every Black man was a Nigerian, and it was, therefore, important to
authenticate the origin of the people in distress, before they were evacuated.
"We are trying to bring as many as possible from Libya.
But not every Black man is a Nigerian. Others claim to be Nigerian, when they
are not, and because they have destroyed their travel papers, we can't claim
them, except there is proper documentation," the President said.
On recharging of the Lake Chad, which he has been in the
vanguard of across the world, the President submitted: "The earlier we get
it done, the better, so that our youths don't continue to dare the Sahara
Desert and the Mediterranean Sea."
The AU Commission boss congratulated President Buhari for
what he was doing for Nigeria, and for Africa. His words:
"Without President Buhari, and without Nigeria, many
things would not have been possible. I appreciate the role you played in my
election, and all that you do in ECOWAS, Lake Chad Basin Commission, and the
entire continent.
"We follow your battle against corruption, and it is
not by chance that you have been chosen by other African leaders to champion
the battle in 2018.
"Your commitment is notable, and I seek your support
for reforms that we intend to introduce in AU. Your guidance is vital. We need
Africa to speak with one voice, and the voice of Nigeria is preponderant."
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