Presidency Links Obama To FG’s Failure To Defeat Boko Haram

The Presidency on Sunday accused the administration of former U.S President, Barack Obama, of failure to assist Nigeria in the fight against terrorism.

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, made the disclosure while speaking to journalists at the Blair House, Washington DC.

Obama had in May 2015, supported Nigeria’s neighboring countries with $35 million worth of military and defense support services to Chad, Niger and Mali channeled through France.

The White House had said at the time the support was to help shore up the security of the three French-speaking African nations that share borders with Nigeria but excluded Nigeria, which was at the center of the terror war on Boko Haram.

The Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had accused the United States of not providing sufficient support for its fight against Boko Haram at a moment when help was vital.

President Muhammadu Buhari arrived Wahsington DC on Sunday, ahead of a schedule meeting with U.S President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

Buhari’s visit comes after Trump met German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday and French President Emmanuel Macron last week to discuss the contentious Iran nuclear deal and biting trade sanctions.

Shehu noted that the meeting between Presidents Trump and Buhari will center on security especially on the fight against terrorism among others.

Garba who was among those who welcomed the President, said that the relationship between Nigeria and the US has recorded remarkable improvement since the coming onboard of President Trump.

He said Buhari’s visit to the White House was a pointer to two important things. “One is, no matter how Nigerians take our own country, this is hugely an important country and this recognition is being manifested in this visit.

“And for the President personally, it is equally important that of all of the heads of state we have in the country that he of all of them has come forwarded to meet President Donald Trump.

“But it is important to know that beyond the symbolism of the visit, there are important matters affecting both countries that will be placed on the table when the two Presidents meet. We have the understanding that the two delegations have their agenda clearly spelt out and there will be interest and focus on the matter of security and safety, focus on trade and investment and focus on democratic development in our country.

“It is important that cooperation between the two countries have manifestly increased under the Trump’s presidency. If you recall sometime back, the President had reason to openly complained that we are not receiving as much as we thought we deserve in terms of support and cooperation especially in our fight against terrorism back then during the Obama period.

“And it will seem that quite dramatically and interestingly, a lot of the obstacles are being removed under the Trump’s presidency and doors are being opened and we are receiving far more support than most people had expected.”

The President was well received by pro-Buhari group at the Blair House, the official guests house of the US President, with placards in support of the Buhari’s fight against corruption and his re-election.

The Presidential Media aide, speaking in the solidarity rally by the pro-Buhari group said, “It is a very pleasant development and this tells you that America is a totally different clime, there is a deep appreciation for the work the President is doing for our country.”

The leader of pro-Buhari support group in the US, Wale Adewoye told journalists that, “We are here to support the President. When we came we are over 150 people but because of the cold and people needed to go back to work, so people went back.

“We realised that there is a lot of damage done to the country and when Buhari came into power, he tried at least to stop corruption in Nigeria, he is still working on it, it is not easy.

“So we just felt that we should support him in our little way, to encourage the government that we are behind him to support him. In our own way too, when we go back home, we make sure that we don’t influence things negatively, we work on our ways of life to live right.”

Another member of the group, Junaidu Mohammed said, “We are here to show him the president our maximum 100 percent support.

“The General is doing his best to make the country better that is why I came out. I have been here since 7am waiting for me to see him and wave to him, for him to know that we stand with him and we will continue to stand with him.”

Among the dignitaries that were on hand to receive him were Governors of Ogun State, Ibikunke Amosun, Plateau, Simon Lalong, Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Monsurat Sunmonu and her counterpart from House of Representatives Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje.

Others were the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin; Director General for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar,, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, the Nigeria Ambassador to the United States, Justice Sylvester Nsofor, rtd, among others.