Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, has admitted that President Bola Tinubu has received an invitation to join the G-20 and currently considering the membership benefits of the gathering of the world’s largest economies.
This was even as the presidential spokesman debunked vial reports making the round on social media and online platforms that Nigeria has already joined the G-20 and BRICS, another group of major emerging economies that comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Ngelale made the rebuttal when he featured on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Monday.
His statement is coming in the wake of a report that the president will jet out of Nigeria on Monday night to attend the G-20 summit in New Delhi, India.
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He said, “There are very wide and extensive consultations taking place within the government. We are assessing both the risks and benefits of becoming a G-20 member. We stand very confident that if our government takes a conscientious view that we should apply to become a member of the G-20, we have an excellent chance of being accepted.
“We have not applied to BRICS contrary to speculations out there. We have made no application to BRICs or the G-20 as of today. Our consideration is based on empirical analysis. It’s not based on sentiment or emotion. It’s about whether or not it will serve the national interest in the national economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is the assessment we’re making now.
“We’re still studying it. It is noteworthy that we are being invited with a special invitation by the host nation, India, to be part of this. But look, we want to be clear with our people that this is not just about theatrics, or some cosmetic view of geopolitics. This is about a black-and-white pursuit of the interest of investment to ensure that we can put our people to work in the country.”