The talks between the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari and the U.S. President, Barack Obama, are expected to bring new goodwill between both countries, an official of the Nigerian Institute of international Affairs said on Monday.
In an interview, the Director General of the institute, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, expressed optimism that the Nigerian President would secure more support from the American government in the fight against insurgents in Nigeria’s north-east.
A New Goodwill
“Terrorism has become a major issue in Nigeria and inter-personal relationship is the most critical in policy making.
“In the visit, Buhari will meet with his classmates at the War College and there is no way his classmates will not plead for him for support.
“I expect that he will come back with promised support for ‘anti-Boko Haramism’ in Nigeria. If the circumstances are normal, there will be a new goodwill and with goodwill you can do a lot.
“The beauty of the whole visit is that the environmental conditioning is good and we are taking advantage of that,” he said, insisting that the timing for the visit was right.
On what the U.S. would be looking to benefit from Nigeria since the purchase of crude from Nigeria by the American government had reduced, Professor Akinterinwa stated that “what the US wants from Nigeria, are not necessary different from what Nigeria wants from the U.S.
“They want advancement of democracy in Nigeria and also to help Nigeria build counter-terrorism capacity”.
