Geoffrey Onyeama: Did Benin Republic beg to become a state in Nigeria?

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has dismissed media reports that the Republic of Benin aspires to be the 37th state in Nigeria.

In a statement issued by the ministry spokesperson, Ferdinand Nwonye, Onyeama said the report was misleading.

“The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to misleading reports in the media that the Republic of Benin is aspiring to be the 37 State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in the presence of his counterpart from the Republic of Benin, granted an interview after a very fruitful meeting between ministerial delegations from both countries and stated therein ‘…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.’

“The Federal Republic of Nigeria has no territorial ambition and has never aspired to make Benin or any country as part of Nigeria,” Nwonye said.

The statement further called on the general public to disregard the wrong information.