President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the donation of $500,000 to Guinea Bissau to support the country’s election process.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

He explained that the approval was in response to an urgent request for assistance by the Government of Guinea Bissau.

Shehu added that the President supported the country with 350 units of electoral kits, 10 motorcycles, five Hilux vans, and two light trucks.

According to him, this will ensure that legislative elections, which should help in stabilising Guinea Bissau, hold in the country.

As Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State, President Buhari directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, to undertake an urgent mission as his Special Envoy to Guinea Bissau.

Shehu said the minister would visit the country in the company of ECOWAS Commission President, Jean-Claude Brou.

In a separate development, Mr Onyeama would undertake a mission to Cotonou, Benin Republic, to deliver a personal message to President Patrice Talon from President Buhari.

The visit, according to the presidential aide, is in the context of the brewing political crisis ahead of the legislative elections scheduled to hold on April 28, 2019, in the country.

Read the full statement below:

In his capacity as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State, President Muhammadu Buhari, this morning, directed the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama to undertake an urgent mission as his Special Envoy to Guinea Bissau, in the company of ECOWAS Commission President, Jean-Claude Brou.

President Buhari had in response to an urgent request for assistance by the Government of Guinea Bissau graciously approved support to the country’s election process including three hundred and fifty (350) units of electoral kits, ten(10) motorcycles, five(5) Hilux vans, two(2) light trucks and Five hundred thousand US Dollars ($500,000).

This vital assistance ensured that legislative elections held in Guinea Bissau, which should help in stabilising the country.

In a separate development, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister will also undertake a mission to Cotonou, Benin, to deliver a personal message to President Patrice Talon from President Buhari.

The visit is in the context of the brewing political crisis ahead of April 28, 2019, legislative elections in the country.

Credit: Channels TV