EXTRA: Fayose ‘joins’ Buhari in China

Three days after President Muhammadu Buhari left the country on a week-long visit to China, Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has travelled to the Asian country.

According to Lere Olayinka, spokesman of the governor, Fayose went to China to attend the 119th China Import and Export Fair, otherwise known as the Canton Fair holding between April 14 and 19.

Olayinka said the trip was part of the governor’s efforts to boost agriculture and improve technological expertise of artisans in the state.

The statement said the governor had only travelled out of the country twice since he assumed office in October 2014 and this trip to China, which was projected six months ago, will be his third trip outside Nigeria.

It said that the governor’s trip to China was aimed at seeking partnership with prospective Chinese investors and technical experts without committing the state to any loan.

“The governor will hold talks with prospective investors in mechanised farming, experts in skill acquisition, particularly training in the area of perfect finishing in building construction as well as experts in auto-repairs modern technologies,” the statement read.

The Canton Fair, which is held biannually in Guangzhou every spring and autumn, with a history of 59 years since 1957, attracts various types of business activities such as economic and technical co-operations and exchanges.

Olayinka added that apart from scheduled bilateral talks on Agriculture, Fayose will also take advantage of the Canton Fair to hold talks with technical experts on training and technological exchange programmes for artisans in the state as part of his plan to get technical support for the proposed artisans village to be built in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

Fayose had described the president’s trip as a waste.