He said China has started a campaign to be an economic superpower in Africa and the US must dialogue with continental leaders like Tinubu.
An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Jimoh Ibrahim, believes that the newly sworn-in 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, has an opportunity to have discussions with Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu to increase American influence in Africa and curb China’s infiltration of the continent.
Donald Trump has a very good opportunity to sit down with Tinubu as an African leader and understand the political engagement that we have here because China is already infiltrating Africa,” Ibrahim said on Channels Television’sSunday Politics programme.
Ibrahim, a serving senator representing Ondo South District in the 10th National Assembly, said BRICS+, a 10-member economic and political force with Chinese influence, has already approached the Nigerian leader on economic alignment and to trade in China’s currency Yuan.
The lawmaker said China has started a campaign to be an economic superpower in Africa and the US must quickly dialogue with some continental leaders to whittle China’s growing influence in the continent.
Ibrahim said, “China gave loans to many African countries to build airports, seaports and others but what is China looking for? The legitimacy of the continent.
“At the same time, China has come to Bola Tinubu to say: ‘Look, come and trade in our currency’. And Tinubu has given them the answer: ‘Increase the volume of trade, and increase my benefit before I come to you’. They go back home to think about it.
“Over time, America and China are going to look at Africa as the major desire of the geocentric political system in terms of the hegemonic leadership of the world and its acceptance.”