Tuesday’s victory of Senator Bukola Saraki as the Senate President has received international backing as the United Kingdom (UK) Government on Friday in Abuja congratulated him.
The High Commissioner of Britain to Nigeria, Dr Andrew Pocock, conveyed the congratulatory message when he led a delegation of other officials on a courtesy visit to the Senate President.
Pockock, who is also the UK Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, pledged the commitment of the UK Government to the Senate and its new leadership.
“We came for two reasons; we came to congratulate the new Senate President on his elevation to the job and to make a commitment to him and to the Nigerian Senate.
“The British Government and the British High Commissioner here in Abuja, will continue to work very closely with the Senate on a whole range of areas in which we can help.
“We discussed capacity building for the Senate both in general terms and also in areas of particular interest and complex pieces of legislation.
“We discussed how we might help with some ideas about the management of the Nigerian economy, areas in which the UK can make a contribution.”
He said the UK Government was willing to make inputs into some of the nation’s security challenges with a view to ridding the nation of insecurity and hopefully boost its economy.
He emphasised the need for the Nigerian Government to diversify its economy rather than depending majorly on one commodity.
“ We are not going to get drawn into discussions of party affairs. What we want to do is to talk to the President of the Nigerian Senate about how we can work with him individually.
“We are also here to strengthen the bilateral relationship but also to move forward mutual agenda and a whole range of issues.
“ So, we are not here to play politics. We are here to do substantive business.
“Our interest is how that commodity in our industry is better managed on the one hand and how the economy is better diversified on the other hand.
“And how the National Assembly, in this case the Senate, can make a contribution through legislations, through oversights, through monitoring to the fundamental economic changes needed,” he said.
Earlier, before the duo went into a closed-door meeting, Saraki eulogised the continued bilateral relationship between Nigeria and the UK.
Expressing gratitude for the visit of the UK mission, Saraki assured the delegation that the President Muhammudu Buhari-led administration was committed to fulfilling its obligations for the betterment of the nation.
He commended the visiting British High commissioner for reinvigorating the mutual understanding existing between the two countries, stressing that Nigeria would always look up to Britain in the areas of infrastructural development.
“We look forward to a very good working relationship in order to move our dear country forward. Nigerians deserve the best of governance,” Saraki said.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and five other senators were in attendance.
