Tsvangirai meets Nigerian president

HARARE – Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has met Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja for bilateral talks. Tsvangirai is in Nigeria as a guest of honour at a conference for orphans being held in the Imo State.

He is a guest of the governor of the State of Imo, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. A governor since May 2011, Okorocha is the head of the executive arm of the Imo government and is a unique Nigerian, a great philanthropist, teacher and educationist.

Luke Tamborinyoka, Tsvangirai’s spokesperson said the PM was in Nigeria at the invitation of Okorocha, who is also a law professor. He confirmed to the Daily News that the PM met briefly with Jonathan on Sunday.

“Yesterday he had a brief stopover in Abuja where he met with president Goodluck Jonathan. They discussed issues of mutual concern,” Tamborinyoka said.

Nigeria is among the world’s top 10 oil exporters and a key supplier to the United States, China and Europe because its light, sweet crude is ideal for making motor fuel. It is home to the world’s seventh-largest fuel reserves and has more proven oil in the ground than the rest of sub-Saharan Africa combined.

Zimbabwe has diplomatic relations with Nigeria, with both countries having embassies in Abuja and Harare. However, the PM is on a private visit to Imo, one of the 36 states of Nigeria which lies in the south, with Owerri as its capital and largest city. Daily News