Okechukwu Hails Tinubu For Shunning BRICS

The Director General of Voice of Nigeria, (DG, VON) Mr Osita Okechukwu has said President Bola Tinubu deserves commendation for not applying to join the BRICS economic group.

At the 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa, the bloc admitted Argentina, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE among other intending developing countries into its folds.

In a statement on Sunday, Okechukwu, who is also a founding member of All Progressives Congress, APC, declared that Nigeria is better off maintaining her decades-old diplomatic standpoint as a non-aligned.

He stressed that he was thrilled when the Vice President, His Excellency Kashim Shettima, cleared the air and said, “So far, we have not applied for the membership of BRICS. And it is majorly informed by the fact that my principal, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a true democrat that believes in consensus building.”

Okechukwu stated: “Whereas one has nothing against Brazil, Russia, India, China nor our brothers South Africa that make up the BRICS; however Nigeria stands to benefit hugely if we maintain our age-old standpoint of multilateral diplomacy.”

He pointed out the worldview origin of BRICS, saying, “records have it that to spur economic development outside the Breton wood system, the BRICS, a bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and later South Africa, was formed.

“Ironically, the acronym was coined in 2001 by Goldman Sachs and 2006, the bank opened an equity fund for investors in the BRICS. The group had since established New Development Bank (NDB).”