The United States Government has explained that it has a special interest in Nigeria because the way Nigeria goes is the way the going to determine the direction the continent goes.
The US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, made this known within the week during a press briefing with selected journalists, at the US Ambassador to Nigeria’s residence, Maitama, Abuja, she also added that the US is also strategically interested in Nigeria because it practises democracy.
Victoria Nuland, stressed the fact that Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa, and urges the nation to become increasingly stable and secure while empowers it’s populace and generation.
She added that Nigeria is a powerful engine not only for itself but also for African continents and all democracies around the world.
“The way Nigeria goes is the way the continent goes. Concerning our strategic interest in the country, there’s always a war between authoritarianism and democracy, and considering the fact that Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa, if Nigeria can become increasingly stable and secure, empower its population, diversify its economy and empower the next generation, it will be a powerful engine not only for itself but for the African continent and all democracies across the world,”Nuland said.
Nuland also told the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, that her visit also prioritized the security challenges in Nigeria and the issues around free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.
The US Under Secretary said, “We have been focusing on the issues of security, free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections. We also talked more broadly about our security relationship, but at the high end in terms of the holistic approach to security, earlier we delivered some Tucano jets, and we are about to have a new delivery of helicopters as well.
“Concerning our cooperation, we talked about the fact that security needs to be about countering terrorism at the high end, however, it also needs to be about what comes behind it – such as better governance, employment, and better opportunity, which would drive out the ability of terrorists and terrorism to return to communities.
“The way terrorists get into communities and destroy the fabric of the nation is ‘an evil thing.’ We think that Nigeria, with our support, needs to address this in a holistic way. However, what we are trying to do now in our collaboration with the government is to integrate the air and ground approach to security.”
Addressing issues surrounding Nigeria’s Electoral Act 2022, Nuland said, “We are very pleased with the new Electoral Act and also the longer period for campaigns towards the elections. The United States will support the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the police, to provide security because we know there is quite a bit of anxiety about that.”
Nuland further stated that Nigeria plays a huge role not only for its own security but also for the security of the region, through the ECOWAS.
“We need a regional approach to this problem because these terrorists are running across borders, and we all need to work together. Nigeria plays a huge role not only for its own security but also for the security of the region, through the ECOWAS,” Victoria Nuland said.
