President Bola Tinubu stressed on Thursday that while protests are a crucial element of democracy, the government will not tolerate demonstrations that lead to the loss of lives and property. Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after receiving the Letter of Credence from the new United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., Tinubu recounted his personal experiences of participating in peaceful protests during Nigeria’s struggle for democracy.
Highlighting the importance of maintaining democratic norms and institutions, Tinubu said, “Our relationship with America is rich, built on shared values of democracy and freedom.” He expressed gratitude for the support of past US ambassadors, such as Howard Jeter, during Nigeria’s transition to democracy and looked forward to continued cooperation between Nigeria and the US.
Tinubu reiterated his commitment to preserving 25 years of uninterrupted democracy. “During the military era, I was part of the group that made our voices heard through peaceful protests, without resorting to destruction,” he added. While affirming the belief that demonstrations are part of democracy, he emphasized, “We will never encourage any protests that lead to the destruction of lives and property.”
Welcoming the U.S. State Department’s recognition of Nigeria’s strategic role as Africa’s largest democracy, Tinubu called on the US to pay more attention to Africa. “Nigeria is ready to play its role as the largest democracy in Africa that is worthy of emulation by other African countries, but we need more U.S. partnership on the continent that is beneficial to both sides. We believe in freedom, and we are providing the leadership to make Nigeria’s economy grow,” the president said.
Ambassador Mills affirmed U.S. support for Nigeria’s democracy and pledged to support Nigeria in taking on larger roles internationally. “Nigeria is crucial to the United States because we share democratic values, and we are ready to give you all the support. I am here to make sure that the relationship blossoms both on the democratic and the economic side,” Mills said. He also announced the establishment of a special office at the Embassy to work closely with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on cybercrimes.
Earlier, Tinubu also received Letters of Credence from the High Commissioner of Malaysia to Nigeria, Mr. Aiyub Bin Omar, and the High Commissioner of Botswana, Ms. Phild Nani Kereng. Tinubu assured the High Commissioner of Malaysia that Nigeria would work towards improving the balance of trade between the two countries.
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