R-L; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey ONYEAMA, Shadow Minister for Women + Equalities and Chair of All Party Parliament, Kate Osamor, President Muhammadu Buhari, Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury, Mr Laurence Robertson M.P, Chair APPE Africa, Labour MP for Newcastle and Shadow Minister for culture and the digital Economy, Rt Hon Chi Onwurah, MD HEXTON MYERS, Bashir Gwandu, British High Commissioner to Mr Paul Arkwright and Nigerian High Commission, London Alhaji Hassan Mohammed Hassan during an audience with UK Member of Parliament at the State house in Abuja. PHOTO;SUNDAY AGHAEZE/STATE HOUSE. FEB 16 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja reassured that his administration would rebuild Nigeria to an enviable position.

A statement issued by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said Buhari gave the reassurance when he received a team of British Members of Parliament led by Hon. Chi Onwurah.

According to the president, Nigeria expects a lot from Britain in her rebuilding process, due to the affinity shared by the two countries.

“We are going to rebuild Nigeria, and there are vast opportunities for Britain and us. We share very close ties and our expectation from you is high,’’ he added.

President Buhari lamented that Nigeria had found herself in a phase of development, “which is not a very welcome one.

“We are disorganised because we relied on mono-economic product for too long, and now that oil price is down, we have to go back to agriculture and solid minerals.

“Tin, columbite, cocoa, groundnut and others, used to be the basis of our economy, but then, oil came, and everybody began to look for cheap money.

“Now, we need to start all over again.’’

Onwurah, Nigerian-born MP for Newcastle, said the team was in the country to promote positive engagement between Nigeria and the UK.
“We are stronger when we build on ties of the past,’’ she said.

She said her team was interested in how the Diaspora could support the economic progress of Nigeria, as well as promotion of trade and diversification of the economy.

The delegation, made up of three MPs, was accompanied by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Paul Arkwright