President Muhammadu Buhari has met with Ghana’s President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo at the Aso Rock presidential villa on Tuesday.

Reports say Akuffo-Addo had been spotted in Owerri, the Imo State caitalon Monday, at a thanksgiving event put together by governor Rochas Okorocha.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents after the closed-door meeting, the Ghanaian president-elect said he was actually attending an event in Lagos but had decided to visit President Buhari and wish him a belated “Happy birthday.”

“I came on a private visit to Lagos on Sunday to participate in the Future of Africa Awards and I thought it is proper that I take that opportunity to come to Abuja to pay my respect to the President,” Akufo-Addo said.

“I have been elected, but I have not taken the oath of office. That will be taking place on January 7. But in the meantime, I have come to introduce myself to President Buhari so that we begin to know each other.

The president-elect noted that the relationship between Nigeria and Ghana “is so important for our countries, West Africa and Africa.”

“I think those of us who are in positions of leadership need to know each other and have an understanding and address the main concerns of our populations.”

Akufo-Addo added that he particularly wanted to felicitate with President Buhari on his birthday as the date was also special to him.

“His birthday is an important day in my life because that day is my late mother’s birthday,” he said.

“We had a very good exchange. We are determined to grow the relationship between our two countries.”

Akufo-Addo has a lot of similarities with President Buhari as both of them are in the same age range.

Both Politicians also defeated incumbent presidents for the first time in their respective countries after having contested several times for the post.