World leaders are queuing up to meet Buhari - Presidency shades Trump over 'lifeless' comment

Presidency said Trump's alleged derogatory comment on President Buhari has no effect on his relationship with other world leaders

- The President added that world leaders are queuing to meet Buhar despite Trump's comment

- This statement came after German leader, Angela Merkel and UK prime minister, Theresa May, visited Nigeria

The Presidency on Saturday, September 1, said the recent alleged comment by US President Donald Trump, describing President Muhammadu Buhari as 'lifeless', has no effect on the Nigeria president as world leaders are queuing to meet him.

Recall that eagleee.com earlier reported that President Buhari met with German chancellor, Angela Merkel on Friday, August 31.

Merkel's visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja came barely 24 hours after President Buhari received UK prime minister, Theresa May.

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, while reacting to Trump's alleged derogatory statement, said other world leaders are willing to meet with the Buhari, The Nation reports.

Shehu made this statement while speaking with journalists in Beijing, China, where he arrived on Saturday with President Buhari, first lady, Aisha, and some Nigerian ministers.

He said: “You know that as a policy, we said that we are not going to answer the American President, however, the fact that the entire world and world leaders are queuing up to meet President Muhammadu Buhari, is an indication that there is something about President Buhari, there is something about the Nigeria he now leads, that the world likes.

President Buhari arriving Beijing, China.

“I think that Nigerians themselves should better look at this from this positive point of view, is a major development.

“We had situations in the country in the past where key world leaders didn’t want to meet our own leaders, all of that has changed in the last three years.” he stated

On what Nigeria should expect from President Buhari's visit to China, Shehu said, “You know that from the last summit in South Africa, the Chinese financing of projects in Nigeria has more than doubled under President Muhammadu Buhari and so therefore, we expect that if the same momentum is maintained, we hope that going forward, all of the projects that are outstanding like the Kaduna-Kano rail project, the coastal rail scheme, Mambilla power project, the second phase of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport expansion project, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja/ Kano.

“All of these projects, they will move more steadily and thankfully, we have virtually everyone who matters on our own side.

“So, we hope that what ever is left, the dotted lines will be signed, and we are hoping that we will take back with us, quite a number of schemes that will take Nigeria forward.”

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Meanwhile, eagleee.com reported that President Buhari Saturday, September 1, arrived Beijing, the capital of China, for the 7th Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC2018).

The summit which is themed Towards an even Stronger China-Africa Community with a shared Future is scheduled to hold between September 3 and 4.

The president's wife, Aisha, will also be participating in a Spouses’ Programme on China-Africa at the Great Hall of the People, under the theme, Joining Hands for a Future of AIDS.