President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday commended the Finish government over the arrest and detention of Simon Ekpa, saying his administration will not tolerate actions and statements that could lead to division among citizens.
President Tinubu, who spoke when he received the Letters of Credence from the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms Sanna Selin, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, commended the Finnish authorities for the timely intervention that safeguarded the nation’s integrity and mitigated an action that threatened peaceful coexistence.
At the ceremony, Tinubu also received Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of the European Union, Mr Gautier Mignot, and the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Algeria, Hocine Mezoued.
According to the President: “I must thank you for your record on safeguarding human rights in our country with the trial of Simon Ekpa. Nigeria is indivisible. We have been through turbulent times, and we don’t want to promote terrorism.
“I am a child born into activism, but not divisiveness. We need cohesion and cooperation to bring about development. Our watchword is stability and cohesion to move the country forward.
“The National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has informed me. I know what the rule of law means. The rule of law safeguards our democratic credentials, morals and values. We must respect the rule of law,” the President said.
The President noted that the Ambassador’s priorities, including ICT, agriculture, and education, will directly impact the country’s development.
“Nigeria is undergoing a series of necessary reforms to stimulate growth and prosperity. Thank you also for the humanitarian support in the North East. I believe that we can work together.”
The Ambassador of Finland extolled the President for his courage in initiating reforms that will benefit the economy and ensure prosperity in the future.
“Simon Ekpa has been hindering bilateral relations. The cooperation between our two countries is going very well now, and the National Security Adviser has been providing all the evidence,” the Ambassador noted.
In a meeting with the Ambassador of the European Union, President Tinubu noted that the EU remains one of the highest trading partners of Nigeria, urging the envoy to work towards elevating the volume of transactions, and strengthening the ties.
He said Nigeria needs support in digitalising and automating operations and processes for rendering services.
The President also said the Nigerian economy could support investments with its vibrant, youthful population.
