By Emmanuel Oluwadola
A federal lawmaker and senator representing the Ondo South Senatorial District in Nigeria, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will have a smooth relationship with the US President Donald Trump due to a similar liberal system.
Jimoh explained this in an interview with Channels TV’s Sunday Politics programme, stressing that Nigeria and the US, both as liberal states will not have conflicts.
He stated that Tinubu’s liberalist approach only differs from Trump’s realist stance.
“Donald Trump is saying, well, I know about peace, but I want to acquire more ammunition, more power, so that if there is any state of uncertainty I don’t know if that is going to happen, but I don’t have to be waiting for that period before I get prepared. So, whatever he can. “Immigrants, leave my country, I can do it without you,” and I don’t think anything is wrong with that.
“Tinubu is a liberalist. Trump is a realist. Tinubu fought pari passu with the American liberal democratic society. So, as a country, Nigeria and the United States will not be in conflict at all because Nigeria is a liberal state and America is a liberal state, but the ruler of Nigeria is a liberalist, and the ruler of America is a realist – this is where the issues are,” Jimoh noted.
This Nigerian politician, emphasized the similarities between Tinubu’s removal of petrol subsidies and Trump’s tariff increases, saying both policies although painful in the initial stage aimed to generate revenue.
He said, “Donald Trump’s major focus is internal democracy in America, how to remove deficit finances in America’s system. The same thing – by saying, “Let me increase the tariff to make more money,” is that not the purpose? If I make more money, it would be painful to Americans because they will be getting the prices of things increased, it is just like Bola Ahmed Tinubu also saying, “Let me remove the price of petrol,” at first, it will be painful at the initial stage, but I can assure you, you will gain it better. Are those two policies not similar?”
Speaking on Nigeria’s BRICS partnership, Jimoh said this will provide an opportunity for Trump to engage with Tinubu and understand Africa’s political landscape, emphasising the essence of the US collaboration with African leaders given China’s growing influence in the continent.
“This will even provide more platform for Trump to talk to Tinubu as an African leader because you can’t fight China, fight Russia, and leave Africa. No, you’re going to sit with one of the two.” I have told you this very clearly, that the currency that realists know is power. Liberalists don’t trade in power. All these you have said about Tinubu – how many people has he arrested? That’s a liberalist to you. But for a realist, power is the currency they know.”
He stressed further that the US president will have a wonderful opportunity to sit down with Tinubu, an African leader, and understand the political engagement in the continent, adding that the 10% tariff will not affect Nigeria since Nigeria is not the buyer of crude oil.
“China is already infiltrating Africa, giving loans to many African countries to build airports, seaports, etc. What is China looking for? The legitimacy of the continent. Is Nigeria the buyer of the Nigerian crude oil? If the question is no, then does the 10% tariffs affect us? Donald Trump has a wonderful opportunity to sit down with Tinubu,” he explained.
The lawmaker, however, emphasized that America and China will see Africa as the major desire of the geo-centric political system in terms of the geometric system of the world and its acceptance.
