PRESIDENT-elect of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
He told reporters after the meeting that he came to Lagos for an event and decided to use the opportunity of his presence in the country to visit the president and wish him a belated “Happy birthday.”
He explained further: “I came on a private visit to Lagos on , Sunday to participate in the Future of Africa Awards and I thought it is proper that I take that opportunity to come to Abuja to pay my respect to the President.
“I have been elected but I have not taken the oath of office. That will be taking place on January 7. But in the meantime, I have come to introduce myself to President Buhari so that we begin to know each other.
“The relationship between our two countries is so important for our countries, West Africa and Africa. I think those of us who are in positions of leadership need to know each other and have an understanding and address the main concerns of our populations.
“I had the opportunity to say a belated happy birthday to the President. His birthday is an important day in my life because that day is my late mother’s birthday.
“We had a very good exchange. We are determined to grow the relationship between our two countries.”
The President-elect of Ghana, Mr Nana Akufo-Addo says he will improve on the existing relationship between Nigeria and Ghana during his tenure as president.
Akufo-Addo spoke at the Imo Day of Thanksgiving held on Monday night in Owerri, where he and former President Olusegun Obasanjo lauded their host, Governor Rochas Okorocha for transforming the state.
According to Akufo-Addo, Nigeria/Ghana relationship should set a good example for the rest of West Africa.
“I am determined, following the mandate my people have conferred on me to do everything to establish good relations with the leadership of this great country, Nigeria because together we can work for the construction of a better Africa,” he said.
Akufo-Addo said that Ghanaians valued their relationship with Nigeria, which dated back to decades, stressing that the stronger the relationship, the better for the rest of Africa.
He praised the leadership spirit of his host, Okorocha and called on the people to give him maximum support.
Obasanjo also commended Okorocha for the good work he was doing in the state.
Obasanjo said that he was particularly delighted to join Imo people in thanking God for what he had used the governor to do in the state.
He stressed that he was amazed to see a new Owerri town because the Owerri capital he saw on arrival was quite different from the one he used to know.
“Okorocha was my unpaid adviser who helped me in most of the good policies I initiated as a president.
“I want to congratulate him because he has changed the face of Owerri, I know this city very well. As I came today I was forced to ask, is this the Owerri that I used to know or another Owerri?” Obasanjo said.
Earlier, Okorocha said the Imo Day of Thanksgiving was not for All Progress Congress (APC) members in the state only, adding that the event was for the entire Imo people.
“The thanksgiving is for Imo people to thank God for what he has done in the lives of the state and her people,’’ he emphasised.
Okorocha said that what the present administration had achieved in the state would not have been possible without God.
He thanked Obasanjo and Akufo-Addo for their participation in the event.
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who chaired the occasion, described Okorocha as “a statesman who knows when to play politics and when to offer leadership to his people.’’
He said that the governor had never discriminated against people based on partisan politics but had continued to carry everybody along.
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