President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the stability of the Chad Republic, as well as all of our neighbouring countries, is in our best interests.
The President made the remarks while meeting a Special Envoy from Chad’s Transitional President, General Mahamat Idris Derby, at State House in Abuja on Friday.
Chad will host a Sovereign National Dialogue on August 20, 2022, and the Special Envoy, Mr Brah Mahamat Dallah, has said that “the outcome would be respected and not tampered with.”
President Buhari said that connections between Nigeria and Chad go beyond neighbours since the late President, Marshal Idris Derby Itno, “kept me constantly briefed on developments in the country.”
Speaking further on the benefits of good cordiality, the President said that “common sense makes it extremely important that we be interested in the stability of Chad Republic, as it is in our own interest.
“We are genuinely concerned, and I am sincerely impressed with the leadership of the country in stabilising the polity.
“It was the belief in good neighbourliness that made me first visit Chad, Niger Republic, Cameroon, and Benin Republic when I came in 2015. The more exclusion we create, the more we endanger present and future generations of our countries.”
President Buhari said he would “keep an ear to the ground, monitor developments closely,” as Chadians hold the National Dialogue, and pledged Nigeria’s help in whatever manner needed.
The Special Envoy, who is also the country’s Minister of Public Works, praised Nigeria and Chad’s historic connection and said that over 99% of Chadians were interested in and participating in the National Dialogue, including major rebel groups.
He said that the parley was sovereign and that the results will be strictly followed.
“We need the support of Nigeria during and after the event,” he added.