The Republic of Benin not aspiring to join Nigeria, Onyeama disclaims

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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama has disclaimed rumour spreading across social media, said Benin is not aspiring to be the 37th State of Nigeria.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made this disclaimer in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mr Ferdinand Nwonye, on Saturday in Abuja.

In the statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the misleading reports were quoted out of context in regards to the meeting Onyeama had with the Beniniose Minister of Foreign Affairs on Feb. 18 in Abuja.

The disclaimer reads:

“The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to misleading reports in the media that the Republic of Benin is aspiring to be the 37 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 that 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.”

Also read: the Benin Republic set to become Nigeria’s 37th State