Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has debunked reports in the media that the Republic of Benin is aspiring to be the 37 State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to a press statement issued by the Ministry’s spokesperson, Ferdinand Nwonye on Saturday said the minister of Foreign Affairs was quoted out of context and the general public should kindly disregard the wrong information.
The statement reads in part: “The minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in the presence of his counterpart from the Republic of Benin, granted a press interview after a very fruitful meeting between the Ministerial delegations from both countries and stated therein”.
“However, the President of Benin Republic said he would like the relations between the two countries to be so close as if Benin was the 37th State of Nigeria”, it stated.