The major oppositions, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Labour Party (LP) counterpart, have demanded an in-depth reason President Bola Ahmed Tinubu departed Abuja for Paris, France.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has in a Wednesday statement titled ‘President Tinubu travels to France,’ disclosed his principal traveled for a private visit.
Although the statement did not state the reasons for the visit, Ngelale said, “He will return to the country in the first week of February, 2024.”
Ibrahim Abdullahi, PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, stated that the insecurity and the state of the nation’s economy made it the worst time for Tinubu to embark on a foreign trip.
Also, spokesman for the LP 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, alleged that there was a hidden agenda for the trip and mentioned that the President was sick.
Abdullahi, in a chat with Punch on Wednesday, challenged the Presidency to come clean, saying: “The feelers we are having are that he (Tinubu) has gone for medical treatment as usual because that is where his doctors are. So, we challenge the Presidency to come clean and explain to us the details of his ailment.
“Though he’s been around for some time. We commend his decision to stay back, but we also would want it to be sustained. For now, we are wishing him well but we are asking his handlers to come clean and tell us what exactly is disturbing him, what he has gone for, and how he intends to avoid incessant trips because the machinery of state and the life of over 250 million Nigerians are in his hands.
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“We will be concerned as Nigerians because the state of the nation is appalling economically, politically, security-wise, the nation is under siege. This is the worst time for a leader who understands his responsibility or mandate requires of him. These are not the best of times for Nigerians, they are living on imagination first of all from the economic angle. Nigerians are also in palpable tension from the security angle. Nigerians are equally disturbed about even the uncertainty from the political angle.
“What is the state of the nation? What is their presidency going to shun out for them? How is the implementation of the budget? All of those things are shrouded in mystery. And at a time that we need our president to be around and discharge the functions of his office, as he has sworn to do. We’re not getting him at any time we want him.”
Tanko who described Tinubu’s travel as unacceptable said: “We are back to another Muhammadu Buhari, who prefers to travel than to lead. The fact is that President Tinubu has a health challenge and they are trying to cover up the health issues. The last time we saw him was when he was in Imo. And I noticed that his hands were shaking. That is to tell you that probably his state of health called to question.
“So the fact remains that when you see it shady exit of the President without detailed information, then you must question it. That means that there’s a hidden agenda somewhere.
“So as far as we are concerned, this is completely undemocratic and it is unacceptable. Nigerians deserve to know details about his travels. And at the same time, he must transmit power considering the level of insecurity in the country at the moment.”
Yesterday’s visit was Tinubu’s third to France since he assumed office eight months ago.
