TheCable

President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, on Saturday, paid a visit to President Bola Tinubu at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos state. 

Dele Alake, special adviser to the president on special duties, communication, and strategy, said Embaló’s visit was to create a bond with Tinubu.

Speaking with journalists, Alake said while the visit was of a private nature, Embaló took the opportunity to express his willingness to cooperate with Nigeria while commending the “laudable policy initiatives” taken by the president since he assumed office.

“President Embalo commended the laudable policy initiatives of President Tinubu in the last month and added that everyone in the international community has been commending the giant strides of the Nigerian leader,” Abiodun Oladunjoye, state house director on information, quoted Alake as saying.

“He came to pay his solidarity and bond with a brother African head of state, in the first instance, and in particular as a brother head of state in West Africa.

“This is a very commendable sign of things to come in the entire West African region in terms of the atmosphere being generated by Nigeria’s giant steps in the last one month, and the need for Nigeria to take its rightful place in African affairs.

“Everybody is looking up to Nigeria, especially in Africa and the ECOWAS region and President Tinubu is ready to take up the gauntlet.”

Tinubu, in a social media post, said he and Embaló, who is currently the chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, “enjoyed a pleasant lunch together and discussed several issues of mutual interest”.

I was delighted to receive His Excellency, President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, the President of Guinea-Bissau and Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.

We enjoyed a pleasant lunch together and discussed several issues of mutual interest.

I look forward… pic.twitter.com/FbPyyQ2RUY

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— Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) July 1, 2023