President Muhammadu Buhari met US President Barack Obama at the White House on Monday.The meeting marked an effort to shore up relations between the US and the nation with Africa’s largest economy and to seek additional assistance in the fight against terror group, Boko Haram.
The Oval Office meeting was also due to cover the economy and corruption in Nigeria.
In remarks to reporters beforehand, Obama said Buhari had a clear agenda to defeat Boko Haram and to root out corruption in his country.
Obama restated the US readiness to work with Nigeria and ensuring that the African nation could fulfill its potential in providing leadership not just to West Africa but making its mark among the comity of nations.
The US President noted that Nigerians had continued to make significant marks ion different fields outside the shores of Nigeria, saying the nation had the resources to be great.
He pledged the US support for Buhari root out Boko Haram and develop the country.
Obama said he was sure that the Nigerian President had a clear idea of what to do and unwavering in his focus to entrench democratic values in the country.
Buhari took office eight weeks ago after the most closely contested election in Nigeria’s history, which was hailed as its first democratic transition of power in decades.
The Nigerian President hailed the US for “putting pressure” upon the immediate past government in Nigeria to ensure that the March and April elections held, adding that his visit to the US was a product of that pressure.
Obama invited Buhari to Washington after his victory was declared.
White House officials said the fact that Buhari was arriving in Washington so soon after taking office was a sign of the importance the US places on relations with Nigeria.
Source:
Agency report