Nigeria: Why Tinubu Must Distinguish Himself from Past Leaders
4 February 2024 By Abiodun Kareem Giwa
President Bola Tinubu
Nigerians are shocked to hear President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria is on a private visit to France, according to Bayo Onanuga, his media assistant. The first question from the revelation is whether a sitting president has a right to a private visit while in office. Secondly, is the visit in connection with health or medical? If so, why has Aso Rock not revealed it on health and medical grounds?
Onanuga's statement confirms news reports of Atiku's criticism of the president's absence in the country despite security challenges. None of the newspapers reported or mentioned the cause of Tinubu's private visit. Only a few Nigerians know the president's absence from the country and his return date. Even if they know, the herculean economic problem they face cannot be expected to the headache of the president's presence or otherwise.
The Nigerian media must get the facts behind the private visit amid serious political, economic, and social challenges and report it to Nigerians. If for health and medical, it will confirm fears among Nigerians the president was sickly and too old for the hefty job he sought. And the question requires an answer to what the private is about.
It should have been Atiku's pursuit to know the cause of the president's visit because it is insufficient to tell Nigerians the president is on a private visit. The president cannot run the state and private business together. It is unethical. He should not have told the president to step aside without knowing the cause of his visit. Onanuga caused further worries with his silence on the cause of Tinubu's visit to France. Is describing it as dangerous welcomed? No. Atiku's criticism as Nigeria's opposition leader is standard but unsatisfactory to public curiosity. We are humans. Anyone can be sick at any time, including officeholders like the president. It still does not allow half disclosure.
A good example was when Lloyd Austin, the United States defense secretary, went away for surgery without disclosure. The conservative media knew about it and went berserk. Austin came out of the hospital and apologized. He is a secretary, not a president! You will think he had privacy, but he did not. Then, would a country's president be absent for a private visit without the people knowing the actual business? Tinubu is Nigeria's while still in office. Everything about his movement, official or private, cannot be shrouded in secrecy. That the president spoke on the phone intervening in the kidnapping and efforts to release abductees is not an excuse for full disclosure. The president's love and concern are not unexpected.
Someone in Aso Rock has left undone a duty owed Nigerians about the reason for the president's private. The Nigerian media would have asked this if there was a media briefing in the state house about the presidency. It cannot be termed a cover-up but lackadaisical attitude to duty. Say it if the president's visit is for health or medical check-ups or whatever he may have gone to do In France. Of course, if health or medical, many Nigerians will say they have said the president is not healthy, recalling their worries during the election campaign. The more reason his activities should be open.
Tinubu is not the cause of Nigeria's ills. He inherited them from his predecessors. The lesson from his predicament as the country's leader is that he needs to understand the magnitude of the problems before ever stepping forward to seek a mandate. It also applies to others seeking to lead. Nigeria's problems are beyond one year of resolution. But if you cannot resolve it, don't add to it. It is where Tinubu must show the difference to past leaders, most of whom came into office broke but became billionaires. Why would anyone want to lead, solve problems, or enrich themselves?
Onanuga's statement confirms news reports of Atiku's criticism of the president's absence in the country despite security challenges. None of the newspapers reported or mentioned the cause of Tinubu's private visit. Only a few Nigerians know the president's absence from the country and his return date. Even if they know, the herculean economic problem they face cannot be expected to the headache of the president's presence or otherwise.
The Nigerian media must get the facts behind the private visit amid serious political, economic, and social challenges and report it to Nigerians. If for health and medical, it will confirm fears among Nigerians the president was sickly and too old for the hefty job he sought. And the question requires an answer to what the private is about.
It should have been Atiku's pursuit to know the cause of the president's visit because it is insufficient to tell Nigerians the president is on a private visit. The president cannot run the state and private business together. It is unethical. He should not have told the president to step aside without knowing the cause of his visit. Onanuga caused further worries with his silence on the cause of Tinubu's visit to France. Is describing it as dangerous welcomed? No. Atiku's criticism as Nigeria's opposition leader is standard but unsatisfactory to public curiosity. We are humans. Anyone can be sick at any time, including officeholders like the president. It still does not allow half disclosure.
A good example was when Lloyd Austin, the United States defense secretary, went away for surgery without disclosure. The conservative media knew about it and went berserk. Austin came out of the hospital and apologized. He is a secretary, not a president! You will think he had privacy, but he did not. Then, would a country's president be absent for a private visit without the people knowing the actual business? Tinubu is Nigeria's while still in office. Everything about his movement, official or private, cannot be shrouded in secrecy. That the president spoke on the phone intervening in the kidnapping and efforts to release abductees is not an excuse for full disclosure. The president's love and concern are not unexpected.
Someone in Aso Rock has left undone a duty owed Nigerians about the reason for the president's private. The Nigerian media would have asked this if there was a media briefing in the state house about the presidency. It cannot be termed a cover-up but lackadaisical attitude to duty. Say it if the president's visit is for health or medical check-ups or whatever he may have gone to do In France. Of course, if health or medical, many Nigerians will say they have said the president is not healthy, recalling their worries during the election campaign. The more reason his activities should be open.
Tinubu is not the cause of Nigeria's ills. He inherited them from his predecessors. The lesson from his predicament as the country's leader is that he needs to understand the magnitude of the problems before ever stepping forward to seek a mandate. It also applies to others seeking to lead. Nigeria's problems are beyond one year of resolution. But if you cannot resolve it, don't add to it. It is where Tinubu must show the difference to past leaders, most of whom came into office broke but became billionaires. Why would anyone want to lead, solve problems, or enrich themselves?
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