In Phone Call with Secretary Pompeo, Buhari Expresses Satisfaction with US, Nigeria Relations
President Buhari has expressed satisfaction with the current level of relationship between Nigeria and the United States.
The President expressed his satisfaction during a phone conversation with the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on Thursday.
A statement released on Friday by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu, said Buhari  used the opportunity to congratulate  Pompeo on his new appointment as Secretary of State.
The statement said Buhari “recalled his past meeting with Mr. Pompeo, then as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and thanked him for the enormous support the US has extended to the Nigerian security and intelligence services.â€
Quoting Pompeo, the statement said the US Secretary of State assured President Buhari that with him in the Department of State, relations between both countries would get even better
“He reiterated the desire of the US to continue to pursue, side by side with Nigeria, matters of common interest on the African continent, including the fight against terrorism and corruption, trade and development,†the statement added.
It also said Buhari  asked Pompeo “to extend his appreciation to President Donald Trump for the warm reception he was given in the course of his recent visit to the White House.â€
An earlier statement released on Thursday by the Spokesperson of US State Department, Heather Nauert, had disclosed that “On May 17, Secretary Pompeo called President Buhari during which he noted the
“longstanding relationship between the Nigerian and American people and underscored the themes of the April 30 official working visit of President Buhari to the White House.â€
The State Department statement also said during the phone conversation with President Buhari, Pompeo acknowledged Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa in the areas of shared priorities, including countering terrorism and other threats to peace and security, creating economic opportunity, fighting corruption, and advancing democracy and stability. The phone call from Pompeo came a few weeks after President Buhari met with President  Trump at the White House in Washington DC., where both leaders discussed ways to enhance the strategic partnership between the two countries and to advance shared priorities, particularly in the areas of promoting economic growth, fighting terrorism and other threats to peace and security.
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