President Bola Tinubu said Sunday that even though Nigeria is still crawling, his administration would change the narrative and bring about a transformative government in the country.
The President said this at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during bilateral political talks with the German Chancellor Mr Olaf Scholz, who is on a state visit to Nigeria.
“Nigeria is still crawling, but we are determined to change the narrative and bring about a transformative government in the country,” he said.
The President said his administration has done a lot to tackle the issue of insecurity in the country, stressing that Nigeria still needs support to be able to sustain democracy.
“We have gone a long way to bring about the security of our people. We’re fighting terrorism and that is improving. We still need support very much in that area. And for us to be able to sustain democracy, rule of law and freedom for our people, we need to fight for democracy. And democracy must win at all times for us to meet the expectation of an African dream.
“That is why your visit this time around is more than necessary and welcome. I hope you will enjoy yourself. You would have noticed; I don’t need to go about the various problems happening in the Sahel region of Africa. You’ve seen and noticed the coup in Guinea and recently in Niger republic.
“We have people diplomatically managing the situation. The need for you to help in that of security will be empahsised and we will continue to require your knowledge.
“We thank you for the past contributions, particularly police, law enforcement training. We need more help,” he said.
Responding to a question on federal government refusing to accept over 12,000 Nigerians seeking asylum in Germany that risk deportation, the President said they were welcome to return home.
He said the two countries were working on regularising the stay of those who are economic refugees according to the immigration law of the country.
“We had a very deep discussion on this and you have to separate the economic refugees from real refugees. We have a programme to work in partnership to really ensure normal migration and deepen the relationship in that area. I’m not making any demands, if they are Nigerian citizens, they are Nigerian citizens, and they are welcome back home.
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Also speaking,the German Chancellor, Mr Olaf Scholzsaid the debate is on and very soon the gray areas will be fixed.
“The first is yes, there is a need in Germany for people that have talent and that want to work in our country in a way which is a regular path for migrants.
“And we are working intensely in this field and we want to get more progress and get things agreed in detail. And the second is that part of this is also an agreement that those who have not the right to stay in my country can go back and should go back and this is part of something that is a win-win story for the two countries and in this sense, we had a debate and I think we will fix it very soon,” he said.
