“Benin Republic Ready To Be Nigeria’s 37th State” – Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama Reveals

The President of Benin Republic, Patrice Talon, has expressed readiness for his country to be part of Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, disclosed this shortly after a close door meeting with his Beninoise counterpart, Aurélien Agbenonci.

Onyeama said 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.”

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.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government is considering supplying electricity to the Republic of Chad, despite inadequate power supply in the country.