The Presidency yesterday dismissed insinuations that President Goodluck Jonathan's five-day state visit to China was a junket or intended to spite United States President, Barrack Obama for refusing to visit Nigeria during his recent trip to Africa.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, told State House correspondents before Jonathan departed the country yesterday that the visit to the Asian country was to attract Direct Foreign Investments.
He explained that China is the largest market in the world with its 1.35 billion people and also the world's largest creditor nation and large consumer of primary commodities, including crude oil, stressing that after the US, China is the largest importer of crude oil from Nigeria.
Abati stated that the claim that Jonathan's visit was to spite Obama for refusing to visit Nigeria was not true, saying that the trip was planned about a year ago. "We have excellent relationship with the US and the truth of the matter is that nobody can overlook America. But China is also an important partner.
China has shown a lot of interest in Africa in the last few years. "Nigeria is a major trading partner with China.
We have over 30 Chinese companies operating here. It is in our strategic national interest to have very good relationship with such a country. Nobody can call this trip a junket. "To show the importance Nigeria attaches to this trip, there are 13 ministers traveling as part of the President's delegation.
It is not only about the President's delegation. It is also about the interest the private sector in the country has shown in the trip. A lot of investors are going to China," Abati said.
National Mirror
He should stop visiting other countries and focus on his country and how it can be developed. Let's see what will happen in days to come though....