Official says Donald Trump will not disrupt US, Nigeria relationship

The new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, on Sunday assured Nigerians that Donald Trump’s presidency would not disrupt the U.S. and Nigeria’s long-existing relations.

Mr. Enikanolaiye told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that there was no need for Nigerians to be agitated over Mr. Trump’s presidency.

The permanent secretary expressed optimism that the long existing relations between Nigeria and the U.S. would be strengthened in the years ahead.

“We do not think that Donald Trump’s presidency would lead to a disruption in the relations between Nigeria and the United States.

“The United States and Nigeria have had excellent relations since the attainment of Nigeria’s Independence.

“And under every government in the U. S, whether Republican or Democrat, we have always had cordial relations.

“So, we do not think that this already existing relations between Nigeria and the U.S. would necessarily be altered under the U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump,’’ he said.

The permanent secretary, however, said that Nigeria would not be naive to be caught unawares by any future eventualities.

He said that ahead of eventualities, his Ministry would on Monday hold a special retreat in Abuja, to deliberate on some of Trump’s rhetorics during his campaigns.

“Given the President-elect’s rhetorics during his campaigns and election, we would not be naive not to prepare for these eventualities.

“This retreat would give major foreign policy stakeholders the opportunity to deliberate on what Trump has said and advise government on how best to respond to this,” he said.

Mr. Enikanolaiye recalled that Nigeria had excellent relations with the administration of the outgoing president Barack Obama in different areas, including economic ties, deepening of Nigeria’s democracy and other areas.