Brexit: Buhari excited over Johnson’s stance on Commonwealth trade

Our Reporter

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed delight in British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s choice to buy his (Buhari) idea to make exploring new economic deals with Commonwealth countries a priority after Brexit.

Prime Minister Johnson, in an address he delivered at Greenwich yesterday, expressed optimism that the United Kingdom stood a good chance of enhancing its economic well-being in new trade deals with Commonwealth countries.

A statement issued yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, noted that President Buhari, on the eve of the just concluded UK- Africa Investment Summit in London, in a written opinion, urged the prime minister to direct the UK towards exploring greater trade and economic deals with Commonwealth countries.

Shehu, in the statement, said “with the expected exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union having taken place, the stage is set for a new trade regime between the UK and its old partners as well as an alignment with new trading partners.

“President Muhammadu Buhari, understanding the inevitability of the situation, had stated earlier of the opportunities presented by Nigeria and indeed other nations of the Commonwealth in the emerging trade scenario occasioned by the Brexit.

“It is, therefore, heart-warming that Prime Minister Boris Johnson also believes that indeed, a new dawn awaits the United Kingdom in its trade relationship with countries within the Commonwealth, Nigeria inclusive as reflected in his speech earlier Monday (yesterday) in Greenwich.

“President Buhari, while writing on, “A new case for a Commonwealth based on trade”, on the eve of the ‘UK- Africa Investment Summit’ in London in January, had said: ‘I – like many other Commonwealth leaders – also seek a new settlement: not only of closer relations between the UK and my own nation, but of unleashing trade within the club in which we together shall remain’.

“With a population of nearly 200 million made of largely of vibrant and energetic young men and women brimming with ideas, and being the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria looks forward to a trade engagement with the United Kingdom, which will undoubtedly present for Nigeria and indeed the Commonwealth a mutually benefiting dawn.

“President Buhari is, therefore, optimistic that the forthcoming Commonwealth meeting in June promises to be one to look forward to by all participants,” the statement said.