Details have emerged regarding the meeting between President Bola Tinubu and his Senegalese counterpart, Bassirou Faye.
President Faye arrived in Nigeria on Thursday and met with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
In a statement issued by presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu emphasized the need for West African countries to unite against the challenges of terrorism, human trafficking, and poverty.
He called on regional leaders to prioritize their citizens in governance, noting that democracy loses its value when the people do not benefit from its dividends.
The president emphasized that democratic values and constitutional order are sacrosanct and must be protected.
He added that critical institutions, such as the judiciary, must be respected and obeyed to sustain democracy.
He said: “Constitutional democracy is what Senegal proved to the rest of the world and Africa. It is a joy to have you here and to meet the hope and aspirations of our youths. You fit in perfectly well.
“A critical time it is in the history of constitutional democracy, particularly in West Africa. What you have embarked upon, a struggle couched in freedom, is remarkable.”
The president described Nigeria and Senegal as brotherly nations, recounting both countries’ long history of cooperation.
He added: “We are brothers. We have shared an interest in democracy. To make democracy sustainable in the interest of our people, we definitely must work hard.