The Presidency has defended President Bola Tinubu’s continued stay abroad amid growing criticism from opposition figures, insisting that the president remains fully engaged in national governance despite being temporarily outside the country.
In a statement released on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the Presidency assured Nigerians that Tinubu’s absence is part of a planned two-week working visit and that he remains in constant touch with government officials and security chiefs.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains fully engaged in Nigeria’s governance even though he is away in Europe,” the statement read.
“His absence remains temporary and in line with the communicated timeframe. He has maintained constant communication with key government officials, overseeing critical national matters, including directives to security chiefs to address emerging threats in some parts of the country.”
The statement noted that Tinubu, who departed for France on 2 April before proceeding to London over the weekend, is expected to return to Abuja after the Easter holiday.
The Presidency emphasised that governance has not stalled and assured the public that state affairs are proceeding without interruption.
The response comes amid mounting pressure from opposition voices, particularly former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who accused President Tinubu of abandoning the country at a time of escalating violence.
In a sharply worded statement, Atiku lambasted the president’s continued presence abroad, describing it as a “vacation cloaked in official jargon.”
“While Tinubu dines under chandeliers in the land of good governance, the country he governs is spiralling into chaos,” Atiku said, citing recent mass killings in Plateau and Benue states as well as renewed insurgent violence in the North-East.
He accused the president of “dereliction of duty on a catastrophic scale,” questioning the need for what he called “vanity trips” when the country is facing a full-blown crisis.
Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu has made several foreign trips, most frequently to France, drawing criticism over cost, timing, and transparency. Critics have also questioned the economic and security returns on such visits.
Despite the backlash, the Presidency maintains that Tinubu’s engagements abroad are strategic and aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s diplomatic and investment ties.
While the government has not issued a direct response to Atiku’s statement, the Presidency’s latest defence seeks to calm growing public unease over Tinubu’s absence at a time when the nation faces both economic and security challenges.
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