Arewa Youth Consultative Forum says Biden victory will be a good thing for Nigeria

SELF-acclaimed socio-cultural group representing young people across northern Nigeria the  Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has thrown its weight behind new US president-elect Joe Biden saying his assumption of office will be good for Nigeria.

On Saturday, former vice president Joe Biden, was declared the winner of the recent US presidential election, beating the incumbent, President Donald Trump by over 4.5m votes. Already, President Muhammadu Buhari has sent Mr Biden a congratulatory message and it is still unclear how the incoming administration will deal with Nigeria on areas of common interest like fighting Boko Haram.

Yerima Shettima, the AYCF national president, said Mr Biden’s victory would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy with other parts of the world. He recalled how Mr Biden and former President Barack Obama played major roles in the emergence of President Buhari’s government.

Mr Shettima said: “Biden’s victory is going to have a positive impact on Nigeria because when he was the vice president, they played a major role in the emergence of Buhari’s government. You will also recall that Obama’s government favoured Buhari’s government, so I’m of the view that the relationship between Nigeria and America would be more casual than it was in the past. To a large extent, it’s a positive result.

“Buhari’s government did not actually enjoy the support of Trump’s government. We are looking forward to a very good working relationship and how democracy would be strengthened between Nigeria and other parts of the world.”

Mr Biden will be assisted by new vice president-elect Senator Kamala Harris, who becomes the first woman and black vice president in the history of the US. Born to an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, Senator Harris is very popular among Africans.