The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, has warned the Nigerian government, politicians and Nigerians in general to stay off any form of actions that will jeopardise Nigeria’s democracy.
The outgoing US Ambassador further expressed hope that President Muhammadu Buhari would remove the fuel subsidy as he prepared to leave office in May.
Leonard in her farewell speech on Monday called on individuals who may not be satisfied with the outcome of the 2023 general elections to seek redress from judicial platforms to secure justice.
The AIT reports that speaking in Lagos during her farewell reception, the US Ambassador noted that the $537 million New Consulate Construction project sited in the Eko Atlantic City in Lagos State is one of the many means through which the United States has strengthened its bilateral relationship with Nigeria.
It was also reported that Leonard had recently met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential villa in Abuja, where she expressed happiness with the progress made in Nigeria-US relations in the last three and half years.
The US Ambassador reportedly cited the recent institution of a “five-year visa regime between the Nigeria and the US; active collaboration in security and the supply of military hardware including war planes and the soon-to-come fighter helicopters and cooperation in the health sector to fight HIV and Covid response as evidence of the Nigeria-US cordial relationship.”
She gave assurances that “the US will continue to assist in the strengthening of Nigeria’s health sector”, while she expressed the US government’s gratitude in the continuing role of President Buhari in ensuring regional security and strengthening of democracy as a system of government.
Leonard cited President Buhari’s strong response against the recent surge of coups-d’état in West Africa as worthy of commendation.
