The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has stated that the President of Benin Republic, Patrice Talon, expressed readiness of his country to be part of Nigeria.
Onyeama made this revelation on Friday, February 19, after a closed-door meeting with Beninoise Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Aurélien Agbenonci.
According to the minister, the Beninoise president gave the offer when he visited President Muhammadu Buhari, a few weeks back.
“The President of Benin said as far as they are concerned, they want (not just saying it like that) but in reality, Benin should be the 37th state of Nigeria,” he said.
“We should really be one. They charged us to come together at ministerial level, to work out a framework for a sustainable relationship.”
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Onyeama said at the visit, both presidents discussed agreements between the two countries on how to put the issue of smuggling to an end, once and for all, as a follow-up to the presidents’ meeting.
Republic of Benin is not aspiring to be part of Nigeria ― FG
However, a more reliable source inside the foreign affairs office has strongly refuted this above assertion, saying that it is false as the minister was obviously quoted out of context.
It says that contrary to the rumor, Benin Republic is not aspiring to be part of Nigeria – the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said its attention “has been drawn to misleading reports in the media that the Republic of Benin is aspiring to be the 37th state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama in the presence of his counterpart from the Republic of Benin granted a press interview after a very fruitful meeting between ministerial delegations from both countries and stated therein.
“The president of Benin Republic said he would ‘like the relations between the two countries to be so close as if Benin was the 37th state of Nigeria.’
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria has no territorial ambition and has never aspired to make Benin or any country as part of Nigeria.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs was therefore quoted out of context and the general public should kindly disregard the wrong information.”
