U.S. president-elect, Donald Trump says he looks forward to seeking counsel from President Barack Obama as he prepares to enter the White House, a media report said on Thursday.
Trump, noting he had never met Obama, calls him a good man and says the two had discussed both “wonderful” things and the “difficult” challenges the country faces.
After a nearly 90-minute meeting in the Oval Office, Obama said they discussed organisational issues related to the presidential transition as well as foreign and domestic policy.
“My number one priority in the coming two months is to try to facilitate a transition that ensures our president-elect is successful,’’ he said.
According to Obama, he feels “encouraged” by his White House conversation with Trump.
“I have been very encouraged by the interest in president-elect Trump in wanting to work with my team around many of the issues that this great country faces.
“I believe that it is important for all of us regardless of party and regardless of political preference to now come together to deal with the many challenges we face,’’ Obama said.
Trump arrived at the South Lawn of the White House for the talks.
Obama vowed on Wednesday to have a smooth transition between their presidencies, in spite of their “significant differences.’’
Trump will be sworn in on January 20 to take the reins of government from Obama, who is completing his constitutionally-limited second four-year term.
Meanwhile, President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, said Trump “is being positioned by God to fight immorality in the country”.
Ayokunle said this at the 29th General Assembly of the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) held at First Baptist Church, Garki, Abuja, on Thursday.
The three-day programme is tagged: “God of Life: Lead Nigeria to Justice, Peace and Dignity.’’
He called on Americans to watch very closely as the new administration would not tolerate the issues of immorality in the country any more.
According to him, God has now positioned him to fight the immoral life in the American society; the nation that was once known as God’s own country is vastly becoming Sodom and Gomorrah.
Ayokunle said that there was an extent to which a nation would emphasise circular and individual liberty to the neglect of God’s absolute reign to the affairs of men.
He called on Nigerians to be on guard at all times as Boko Haram had not been fully defeated, following the recent killing of Lt. Col. Abu Ali and some soldiers in Maiduguri.
He said “it is not over until it is over; the fact that a top army officer was killed is a signal to the fact that we have not defeated them.
“It was also an attestation to the commitment of the Federal Government to fight this demon called Boko Haram.
“So, everybody should be more committed so that the souls of those who died might not be in vain.’’
The CAN boss called on Christians to be united and not to make their doctrinal beliefs to overwhelm them because Jesus Christ prayed for the church to be one.
“We are diverse because of our doctrinal beliefs but we must be one because Jesus says the church must be one; He prayed for the church.
“I think the problem with us is the placing of much emphasis on autonomy where it becomes its petals when we lack respect for one another.
“There should be collective recognition of leadership, desire to put up the things of the world and eternity-centred in such a way that occupying position does not matter to anybody,’’ he said.
He said that corruption in the country was endemic and called on the government to keep fighting it so that the country would not be crippled.
According to Ayokunle, corruption appears to be endemic in the Nigerian society and it has got to the fabric of our national lives; there is hardly any sector that can be exempted.
“By the result that corruption has given us presently, I think it is high time we all rose and fight the demon; without fighting it, it will cripple us.
“If we are not very careful we will end up becoming a crippled giant because we have allowed corruption to enter into our system,’’ he said.
Earlier, President of CCN, Dr Emmanuel Josiah, had called on Nigerians to support the fight against corruption, asking the citizenry to repent and return to God.
According to him, the greatest challenge that we are facing now is sin, and where ever there is sin, we cannot experience any progress and God can never be there.
“There is no child of God that will not support the fight against corruption,’’ Josiah said.
Dr Rufus Ositelu, Primate, The Church of the Lord Prayer Fellowship Worldwide, said that corruption could not be fought totally but could be brought to a minimum so that the country would move forward.
According to him, what is really disturbing the progress of this country is corruption; if corruption is fought to a standstill by next year, we will see progress in the country.
Former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has congratulated Trump over his election as the 45th President of the United States.
Obasanjo, in a letter dated November 9, addressed to Trump, felicitated with the newly elected U.S. president, his family and other members of his camp.
He also gave assurance of Africa’s support for Trump’s administration to ensure a fairer world.
The three- paragraph letter reads:
“I felicitate with you, your family and everybody in your camp and your campaign for winning the Presidential Elections to become the 45th president of the United States of America.
“Let me assure you that most of us in Africa who believe in equitability in the global affairs will work with you for a fairer world and more so, those of us in Nigeria.
“While congratulating you once again, please accept the assurances of my highest consideration”.
