What Tony Blair told Tinubu during official visit in Abuja

A former British Prime Minister, Sir Tony Blair, has said the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, which he founded, would be a willing partner of the incoming government of Nigeria’s President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

He said the Institute will be ready to partner Tinubu’s government especially in prioritising its goals and delivery.

Blair gave the commitment when he visited the president-elect at the Defence House, Abuja, according to a statement by Tinubu’s media aide, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz.

Blair further informed his hosts that since leaving office as the UK Prime Minister, he had been working with governments around the world to help them deliver on their mandates.

He said the Blair Institute had a project in place in Nigeria and felt it was incumbent upon him to meet Nigeria’s incoming president to understand the administration’s priorities.

“We would like to help in any way with your administration, we only need to know what the leadership priorities are and help in how to actualise them,” Blair said.

He commended Tinubu’s campaign focus on key areas of security, economy, agriculture and power, describing the intertwined nature of the areas as critical to the development of any society.

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Blair expressed optimism that with the appetite shown by investors to invest in Nigeria, the Tinubu administration could get the support it needed to spur economic development in Nigeria.

He acknowledged the difficult task before Tinubu and other leaders around the world at a time of global turmoil.

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“Being in government today anywhere in the world is tough, you have things happening around the world which affect you and for which you can’t do anything much,” Blair said.

Tinubu commended the former UK Prime Minister for the visit and for the offer to work with the incoming administration.

Tinubu spoke of the shared vision between him and the Tony Blair Institute in their priority areas.

He, however, underlined the importance of tackling investment challenges and the need for social investment to fight poverty.

“We have to invest more, put technology in place and keep terrorists at bay, because without effective security, there is no guarantee investors will come,” Tinubu said.

He promised to provide a conducive environment that would encourage investors and open up opportunities for Nigerians.