Akpabio Meets US Envoy Amid Trump’s Partial Travel Ban On Nigerians

Amid President Donald Trump’s partial travel restrictions on Nigerians, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday held talks with the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, aimed at strengthening diplomatic and legislative relations between Nigeria and the United States.

The discussion took place during a courtesy visit by the US envoy to the Senate President yesterday in Abuja, where both parties expressed a shared commitment to deepening cooperation and fostering more robust bilateral relations.

In a statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the President of the Senate, Anietie Ekong, Akpabio said Nigeria and the United States share common democratic values, noting that Nigeria’s democratic system is modelled after that of the United States.

“These are challenging times, but I am happy that my distinguished colleagues are here and that we are having this engagement. This is a visit we have been looking forward to, and we even proposed visiting you to have an overview of the current situation between our two countries,” Akpabio said.

He congratulated the United States on its 249th Anniversary of Independence, commending the country’s long-standing democratic history.

“I thank you for receiving me during the 249th Independence Anniversary of your country. That means you have practised democracy for 249 years. We can’t say we have done the same in Nigeria,” he added.

The Senate President emphasised that collaboration between Nigeria and the United States remains strong, describing America as a nation whose prosperity and global support for other countries are rooted in its strong democratic values.

“One thing that I do know is that America has remained prosperous and has assisted many countries in the world because of the strong belief that ‘In God we trust,’” Akpabio said.

He added that Nigeria shares similar values despite its diversity.

“In Nigeria, despite our religious and ethnic diversities, we also believe that God is the greatest. So we share something in common. You are welcome to the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

In his remarks, Ambassador Mills stated that the visit aimed to discuss the state of US–Nigeria relations and explore ways to strengthen ties between the two countries further.

He stated that the United States Mission would continue to work towards advancing shared goals with Nigeria. He noted that the visit also provided an opportunity to gain insight into the Nigerian Senate’s legislative agenda for the year ahead.