President Bassirou Faye of Senegal endorsed Bola Tinubu's credentials, stating he could rely on the Nigerian president's "wisdom and experience" to bolster ECOWAS integration and confront issues like human trafficking
In a diplomatic boost for Nigeria's newly elected president, Senegalese leader Bassirou Faye expressed confidence Thursday that Bola Tinubu's "wisdom and experience" will provide steady leadership to keep West African nations united and the region peaceful.
However, many Nigerians mocked and laughed off Faye's endorsement of Tinubu amid the country's economic woes under the new administration. "How can he have confidence in Tinubu when the economy has gotten worse under his leadership so far?" questioned one Nigerian on social media.
"We're already seeing hardships increase just a few months into Tinubu's tenure. Faye should look at the facts on the ground before praising his 'wisdom and experience,'" another Nigerian commented.
Faye made the comments praising Tinubu's qualifications during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he was received by the Nigerian president. The Senegalese leader acknowledged the long-standing ties between the two nations, emphasizing their shared values, ideals, and challenges since the 1960s.
"The good relations we have and the relations between our private sectors should be beneficial to our countries," Faye said, calling for reactivating the Nigeria-Senegal joint commission to strengthen bilateral cooperation across diplomacy, trade, and other areas.
Turning to regional affairs, Faye stated that with Tinubu's wisdom and experience at the helm of Africa's most populous nation, relations among member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) could be fortified to advance the aims of the regional bloc. "ECOWAS is the beacon of successful regional integration in Africa and globally," Faye said. "It is something we owe to the founding fathers of the community, and I do not doubt that you want to continue this legacy of integration."
He added, "I know I can rely on your wisdom and experience, as the leader of this great African nation and the more recent example of Senegal, so that together, hand in hand, we can grow together and that we can discuss with our brothers and convince them to come back into the fold."
While Faye's diplomatic endorsement could lend legitimacy to Tinubu, whose disputed election victory in February was marred by opposition claims of voter suppression and rigging, many Nigerians expressed doubts about placing trust in the new president's "wisdom."
