Buhari Hails Rishi Sunak, Incoming British Prime Minister

•Says Nigeria, UK united in fight against global terrorism, world food crisis 

•Seeks improved trade relationship

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday congratulated the new British Prime Minister, Hon Rishi Sunak on his appointment.

The president in a congratulatory message to the incoming British Prime Minister said he looked forward to the sustenance of the age-long relationship between Nigeria and Britain with Sunak coming into office.

Buhari, according to a statement issued by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, also expressed optimism that the two countries would vigorously pursue the global war against terrorism and food crisis.

The Nigerian President’s letter read: “On behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the largest of 21 countries of Africa that are members of the Commonwealth, I welcome incoming British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to office. 

“As the first Prime Minister of British-Asian descent and the youngest in about 200 years, these milestones will be especially inspiring for young people across our 2.4 billion-population, 56-nation Commonwealth. 

“On this important day, we should also remember the enduring partnership and unbreakable friendship between our countries, United Kingdom and Nigeria. 

“We stand together in this troubled world against terrorism. We are determined to address the world food crisis that is driving up the cost of living for people and families across the globe. We are steadfast in our commitment to make our countries and our allies more energy secure.

“We are pledged to address climate change that forces millions to leave their homes through desertification and attempt to cross the seas into Europe. And we seek to increase trade and investment within and between Commonwealth countries to boost the health and wealth of all our peoples. 

“We seek to deepen our partnership with Britain to achieve these objectives, and more. The government and people of Nigeria look forward to working with Prime Minister Sunak and the leaders of other Commonwealth nations to deliver them.”

 Sunak is set to become the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister after winning the ruling Conservative Party’s leadership contest, which was triggered by the resignation of Liz Truss last week.

Sunak’s win yesterday came days after Truss’s resignation after her disastrous tax cuts plans and policy U-turns plunged the markets into chaos.

The unprecedented economic crisis drew a rare intervention from the Bank of England.

Britain faces serious economic challenges and needs stability and unity, Aljazeera quoted Sunak to have said yesterday, in his first public speech since winning the contest.

“There is no doubt we face a profound economic challenge,” Sunak said.

“We now need stability and unity, and I will make it my utmost priority to bring our party and our country together.”

Sunak, a former finance minister, has been left with the task of steering a deeply divided country through an economic downturn set to make millions of people poorer.

Sunak’s only challenger, Penny Mordaunt, leader of the House of Commons and former defence minister, was reportedly backed by 30 MPs compared with nearly 150 supporting Sunak.

“This decision is an historic one and shows, once again, the diversity and talent of our party,” Mordaunt said in a statement as she withdrew from the race just minutes before the winner was due to be announced.

“Rishi has my full support.”

Sunak and Mordaunt had lost to Truss last month in the race to appoint a successor to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He was forced to announce his resignation in July after a wave of scandals linked to parties held during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Sunak would be the UK’s first leader of colour and the first Hindu to take the top job.

At 42, he would also be the youngest prime minister in more than 200 years.

The multimillionaire former hedge fund boss would be expected to impose deep spending cuts to try to rebuild the UK’s fiscal reputation, just as the country slides into a recession, dragged down by the surging costs of energy and food.

He would also inherit a political party that has fractured along ideological lines, a challenge that damaged the fortunes of several former Conservative leaders.

While there were rumours about a Johnson comeback over the weekend, he pulled out of the contest on Sunday.

He had said that he had secured the backing of 102 legislators and could have been, “back in Downing Street” but he had failed to persuade either Sunak or Mordaunt to come together and back him “in the national interest”.

“I believe I have much to offer, but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time,” Johnson had said.

The Tories retain a majority in parliament, meaning that as their leader, Sunak would be named prime minister by King Charles III.

Economists have questioned whether Sunak would be able to tackle the country’s finances while holding the party’s multiple warring factions together.

Finance minister Jeremy Hunt – the fourth person in that role in four months – is due to present a budget on October 31, to plug a black hole in the public finances, which is expected to have ballooned to up to 40 billion pounds ($45.2 billion).

Conservative political commentator Alex Deane noted that the last three Conservative prime ministers have been brought down by members of their own party.

“So it’s very nice to hear people say good things about our new leader,” Deane told Al Jazeera.

“Sunak didn’t have a direct electoral mandate,” Deane said. “… One of the things he is going to have to do … is preside over a period of relative calm, reassuring the markets and not doing anything too bold or too rapid.”

“One of the things he is likely to do is to keep Jeremy Hunt as chancellor,” he added. “He really reassured the markets when he arrived. What he can’t do is to compel Tory MPs to demonstrate loyalty to him.”