Stability of Chad in our interest – Buhari

The stability of Chad Republic and neighbouring countries is in the interest of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

The President spoke Friday at the State House in Abuja while receiving a Special Envoy from the Transitional President of Chad, General Mahamat Idris Derby.

Chad held a Sovereign National Dialogue August 20, 2022, and according to the Special Envoy, Mr Brah Mahamat Dallah, “the outcome would be respected, and not tampered with.”

The President said relations between Nigeria and Chad transcended that of neighbours, as the late President, Marshal Idris Derby “kept me constantly briefed on developments in the country.”

“Common sense makes it extremely important that we be interested in the stability of the Chad Republic, as it is in our own interest.

“We are genuinely concerned, and I am sincerely impressed with the leadership of the country in stabilising the polity.

“It was the belief in good neighborliness that made me first visit Chad, Niger Republic, Cameroon, and Benin Republic when I came in 2015. The more exclusion we create, the more we endanger present and future generations of our countries,” he said.

The Special Envoy, who is also the country’s Minister of Public Works, extolled the long relationship between Nigeria and Chad, and indicated that over 99% of Chadians were interested in, and taking part in the National Dialogue, including main rebel groups.

He said the parley was sovereign, and the conclusions would be scrupulously implemented. We need the support of Nigeria during and after the event,” he said.