Tinubu’s latest foreign trip for investment or medical treatment?
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Afenifere leader Ayo Adebanjo has urged Nigerians to ignore guesswork and accept the reasons President-elect Bola Tinubu gave for his latest junket to Europe.
Tinubu travelled out on Wednesday, less than three weeks before his anticipated inauguration on May 29, and two weeks after he returned from a previous trip which took him to France, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia.
A statement his Media Aide Tunde Rahman said his principal is scheduled to meet with investors and key business allies in Europe.
“President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday afternoon, left Nigeria for Europe on a working visit. He will use opportunity of the trip to fine-tune transition plans and programmes, and his policy options with some of his key aides without unnecessary pressures and distractions,” Rahman explained.
“During the visit, the President-elect will engage with investors and other key allies, with the goal of marketing investment opportunities in the country and his administration’s readiness to enable a business-friendly climate through policies and regulations.
“Already, meetings with multi-sectoral actors in Europe’s business community, including manufacturing, agriculture, tech, and energy have been lined up.”
Adebanjo said since Tinubu has not informed anyone he travelled on health grounds, there is no reason to panic.
“He must have his reasons for travelling. So, there is no harm in traveling when he finds it necessary. We have to believe what he says. Don’t let us speculate about him,” Adebanjo stressed.
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Tinubu emulating Buhari
Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) President, Alex Omotehinse, said he does not foresee any difference between Tinubu’s administration and President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, per The Guardian.
“It is obvious that the man is not 100 per cent okay, health wise. During the electioneering campaign, there were several reports that he travelled for medicals.
“Now, he hasn’t been sworn in, he is already traveling. In the history of this country, Buhari was outside the country for four months to treat his ailment. Is that what we are going to nurse again in the next administration?”
But Winstarbel Communications Chief Strategist Thelma Okoh insisted since Tinubu has not been sworn in, it is within his rights to travel wherever he wants and at any time.
“He had a rigorous campaign. He has a right to his privacy, and until he is sworn in, he is not yet our president; he is still President-elect.
“Maybe, he is using this time to manage his health or he is even working on his personal businesses, to make things work out seamlessly, when he is eventually sworn in on May 29,” Okoh explained.
“Whether he has travelled for pleasure, tourism or health reasons, it shouldn’t be used against him, since he is not yet the President. He still has his time to himself.
“Probably, he has gone to engage Nigerians in the diaspora. Even if we try to use it against him, can we leave out our people (Nigerians) who are in the diaspora from his new agenda? They are also key players in the growth of the economy.”
Wale Irokuso, a legal practitioner, said Tinubu’s trip should not be a thing Nigerians would panic about, noting that people should be concerned about the policies he is bringing on board.
“The truth of the matter is, someone traveling abroad is nothing out of the ordinary. And I don’t know why anybody is making a fuss about it. There’s no serious-minded person in Nigeria, in business, that doesn’t move in and out of the country frequently,” he added.