Nigerian Govt Describes Zimbabwe Opposition Leader’s Visit to Obasanjo As Private

The Director of Public Communications and spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ayo Olukanni, on Wednesday said that the visit of Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to Ota Farm (home of former Nigerian leader, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo) was a private affair.

Olukanni told journalists in Abuja that Tsvangirai’s visit to Nigeria on Monday was not at the instance of the Nigerian government.

Therefore he said that discussions and statements emanating from the said meeting should be treated as private by the general public.

He explained that the Nigerian government would continue to monitor development as they unfold in Zimbabwe.

“The government urges all parties and people of Zimbabwe to resolve their differences and summit to the global best practices of due process and transparency,” he said.

Olukanni said that the Nigerian government would continue to offer Zimbabwe its support and necessary assistance towards an amicable outcome of the current situation in that country.

Tsvangirai visited former President Obasanjo at his Ota farm on Monday to solicit assistance towards resolving the political crisis in his country.

He claimed that he won the 29 March presidential election, but that President Robert Mugabe had ensured that the result was not released.

Tsvangirai told journalists in Lagos after his talks with Obasanjo that he would not subscribe to a recount of the votes as his party won the election.

According to Tsvangirai, an all inclusive government is preferable than a re-run of the election or recount of votes.

He said that Obasanjo would lead some African leaders to intervene in the election crisis in Zimbabwe.

The ruling ZANU-PF and Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change, are currently at loggerheads over moves to re-count votes cast at the election.

Source African Press Agency

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