Hostility: Gbajabiamila on ‘Legislative Diplomacy’ trip to Ghana

The latest onslaught against Nigerian traders in Ghana has attracted condemnations as analysts argued that such offended the ECOWAS protocols of free trade among member countries. Briefing newsmen after a meeting with the President yesterday behind closed doors, Gbajabiamila said the President had approved his intervention in the peaceful resolution of the impasse through legislative diplomacy The Speaker said: “One of the issues we discussed today, I’m leaving for Ghana tomorrow (today) to meet with the Speaker of the parliament in Ghana to look at the issues on ground as it affects our citizens, and to try and calm things down and see if there’s a way forward. “I’ll meet with the Speaker. I informed the President and he’s aware of every single step that we are taking all the way and we hope that we’ll come to an amicable settlement one way or the other.

“It’s called Legislative Diplomacy. If you remember very well, during the days when I was Leader of the House, I led the delegation to South Africa during the crisis there with Nigerians and we were able to accomplish quite a bit to simmer things down at that time.” According to him, he would not be making any specific demand from the Ghanaian parliament, but would be engaging his counterpart in the spirit of African Parliament on issues affecting the continent.

Asked what he felt about the development threatening the relationship between the two countries, Gbajabiamila said: “I don’t want to make any statement at this time so that we don’t exacerbate matters. Like I said, we are looking for amicable solutions. The Ghanaians have their take on what’s going on, we have our own take.

We’ll see how we can marry the two takes and come to a solution. “We are two strong West African countries and there must be symbiosis: we must work together. You don’t get anything from working at cross purposes or knocking heads together. We must, at all times, as Africans work, as best as possible, together and that’s what this my trip is about.” On Buhari’s reaction to his trip, he said: “He was happy. I believe all avenues must be explored. He believes it. He’s a man of peace who believes every avenue for peace must be exploited; must be explored.”