The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard M. Mills Jr, has visited Senate President Godswill Akpabio in Abuja to discuss strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
The meeting on Wednesday came weeks after Akpabio warned senators they must scrutinise a Gen. Chris Musa (rtd) as Defence Minister thoroughly because “Trump is on our neck”, a comment referring to pressure linked to US concerns about Nigeria’s security situation.
Mills’s courtesy visit to the National aAsembly highlighted the desire for more robust diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and the United States.
In a statement by Anietie Ekong, special assistant on media and communication to the Senate President, Akpabio said Nigeria and America share democratic goals and that Nigeria’s system was modelled after that of the United States.
Akpabio said: “Our democracy and system of government is modelled after the United States of America.”
He added that the two countries also share common belief in God, which he said has contributed to their enduring ties.
Mills said he was at the Senate to discuss Nigeria–US relations and how the two countries can strengthen their collaboration.
He said he intended to explore how the United States mission could further shared goals and understand the legislative agenda of the Nigerian senate for the coming year.
