Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria did not apply to join BRICS, an economic bloc made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
The 15th BRICS summit which was held from August 22 – 24, 2023 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa housed a number of leaders in attendance.
Among these is the President of Nigeria who is represented by his Vice Kashim Shettima.
BRICS, which considers itself a counterweight to Western influence, disclosed at the end of the summit that new members would be joining its crease from January 1 next year (2024).
The new members are Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
This left many Nigerians wondering why Nigeria didn’t apply to join the BRICS. Could this be true that Nigeria is a Western control state even after so many years of independence?
To clarify this during a session with Channels Television Shettima 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.
“There are so many variables that need to be taken into cognisance.
“We have to evaluate so many tendencies and issues that require engagements with the economic advisory council, the federal executive council, and even the national assembly, before an informed decision towards joining the BRICS would be taken.”
Over 40 nations expressed interest in joining BRICS, and 23 of those submitted formal membership applications.
The conference in South Africa was attended by about 50 additional heads of state and government.
BRICS has a formal history dating back 15 years.
Its growth is regarded as a component of a strategy to establish domination and reform international law, with voices from the south at the core of this new world order.
Shettima said he was asked to attend the summit by his principal because the Tinubu administration “which began less than three months ago, is examining the variables and evaluating the scope and level of regional and global cooperation to pursue in order to establish Nigeria as the desired friend and partner”.
