US election: Nigeria backs Clinton

Ahead of the United States election scheduled for November 8, 2016, Nigeria has shown support for Hillary Clinton against her closest challenger Donald Trump. This is going by a statement made by Nigeria’s foreign affairs minister in Enugu, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, who had declared before a gathering of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, that “in less than two weeks, a woman, Hillary Clinton will win election as the President of the United States.” The minister, who was talking specifically to APC women wing, who had presented him with a gift, was certain of Clinton’s victory in the election. At the same venue, Onyeama, while speaking with journalists, justified the refusal of the Federal Government to support the on-going agitation for self determination by some pro- Biafraa groups. The event was stakeholders/caucus meeting of the Enugu State chapter of the APC. He said it was wrong to compare the
Palestinian case with that of Biafra. While noting that the case of Palestinian was
already a matter before the United Nations, he advised those agitating for “Republic of Biafra”
to follow laid down constitutional and Diplomatic processes, rather than engaging in uncivilised
methods. He said though it was their fundamental rights to clamour for Biafra, “but they should be
rational and not emotional in going about it”. The minister urged those spearheading the
breakaway project to critically look at the rules governing secession.
Onyeama further declared that those leading the agitation “are not speaking for Ndigbo, as
they do not have the mandate of the Igbo race to do so.
“I have called so many Igbo leaders and spoken to them about these issues and all of them
have made it clear that they are not with the agitators.
“So, where did they derive their mandate? You cannot just wake up and claim to be
representing the entire Igbo people.” He, however, called on Nigerians, particularly
those of the South-East extraction, to keep supporting the President Muhammadu Buhari
led APC government, stressing that the administration had the capacity to tackle the
present challenges facing the nation. According to him, the administration had put
necessary mechanism in place aimed at addressing the present economic recession
confronting the country. In his remarks, convener of the meeting and
Enugu state chairman of the party, Dr. Ben Nwoye, had assured the national leadership of
the APC that the state chapter was highly committed to wrestling power from the Peoples
Democratic Party PDP, come 2019 in Enugu State.
He said existing political structures were currently been oiled and strengthened at all
levels in the state, calling on true democrats and progressives to embrace the party so as to
enthrone a better Enugu state in the next political dispensation. Nwoye, also appealed to Nigerians to exercise some patience with Buhari led federal government, as it makes frantic efforts towards stabilising the current dwindling Nigerian economy occasioned by some anti human and economic policies of the past PDP led administration. Present at the meeting were the Special Adviser to president Buhari on judiciary
Reforms, Barr. (Mrs) Juliet Ibekaku, Ambassador Designate from the state, Major
General Chris Eze, (Rtd), Members of the state working committee, amongst others.