By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Nigerian High Commissioner to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan, Ambassador Mohammed Bello Abioye, has called on Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation, to give the incoming administration of the President-elect elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu maximum support.
Abioye, who said Tinubu is well prepared for the job and up to the task, however, said he needs the support of all to take Nigeria to greater heights.
The envoy during a video chat with newsmen in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for laying a solid foundation for Tinubu to build upon.
He expressed confidence in Tinubu’s ability to make life abundant for the Nigerian masses, recalling his exploits in Lagos state when he was governor.
On his stewardship in Pakistan, Abioye said: “Nigeria and Pakistan enjoy a robust and cordial relationship, diplomatically, politically and economically, and we have been building on that.”
The envoy said the Nigerian embassy has opened talks with the Pakistani government on some areas of collaborative efforts and partnership to move up the present level of trade volume between the two countries.
“Areas where Nigeria can collaborate with Pakistan include education, agriculture, pharmaceutical, security, real estate, information technology and textiles. I recall that some 30 years ago, we used to have Pakistanis coming to teach in Nigerian schools. Pakistan also has a robust textile industry which Nigeria can learn from,” Abioye stated.
On the issue of security in Pakistan, the envoy said: “Contrary to the widely held opinion, Pakistan is peaceful. Though we cannot rule out commission of certain crimes as applicable to any other country in the World, we live in peace in Pakistan. They are very good in term of monitoring people’s movement and they quickly nip crime in the bud. Pakistan is not a bad place to live. The infrastructure here is also very good.”
He commended the federal government for its quick intervention in evacuating Nigerians from the crisis ridden Sudan, adding that the government has done well.