Buhari’s Refusal To Sign African Trade Deal Is ‘Criminal’ – Obasanjo

Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to attend the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) as a “criminal” act.

The WHISTLER recalls that President Buhari had hinged his decision to not attend the ACFTA signing at Kigali, Rwanda, on the need to consult widely with relevant stakeholders in the country.

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The president had tweeted on Monday, “Any African Free trade agreement must Fairly and Equitably represent the interest of Nigeria, and indeed, her African brothers and sisters,” adding that “As Africa’s largest economy and most populous country, we are committed to ensuring that all trade agreements we sign are beneficial to the long-term prosperity of the continent.”

The spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tope Elias-Fatile, had equally said the president cancelled his attendance of the Extra-Ordinary Summit of the African Union in order to “allow more time for input from Nigerian stakeholders” in the deal.

Reacting, however, ex-President Obasanjo lambasted President Buhari, describing as “criminal” his claim of not understanding what the deal stands for.

“It is criminal for any African leader to talk of not understanding what we are going to sign (Free Trade Agreement in Africa) and afford not to be here,” Obasanjo had said at the summit.

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Buhari had earlier thanked the Union, saying: “Nigeria fully recognizes and appreciates the efforts of the African Union Commission so far, regarding the implementation of a sustainable Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) for Africa. We also acknowledge that our continental aspirations must complement our national interests”.

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