Nigeria is currently without Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu, president and president-elect, as both jet to Europe ostensibly for health checks.
Presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina said the president is seeing a dentist in London. A Tinubu spokesperson described his trip to “Europe” as a “working visit.”
President Buhari left Nigeria last week to attend the coronation of Prince Charles as King of England.
In a statement released Tuesday night, Adesina said President Muhammadu Buhari will stay back in London to see a dentist.
The president is extending his stay by a week “at the behest of his dentist, who has started attending to him,” he said.
“The specialist requires to see the president in another five days for a procedure already commenced.”
Tinubu on “working visit”
On his part, spokesperson Tunde Rahman described president-elect Bola Tinubu’s trip as a “working visit.”
Rahman said Mr. Tinubu left Nigeria yesterday afternoon on a “working visit” to unspecified countries in Europe.
He plans to collaborate with key aides to “finetune” a transition programme and his policy options “without pressures and distractions.”
He will also market Nigeria’s investment opportunities and reassure foreign of a coming policy and regulations-driven business-friendly climate, Rahman said.
“Asíwájú Tinubu hopes to convince them of Nigeria’s readiness to do business under his leadership.”
Nigerians who responded to the statement posted on Bayo Onanuga’s wall expressed doubts about the stated goal of the visit.
One Twitter user, IPC justice summarized the widespread misgivings this way:
“We condemn Onanuga’s statement which is a blatant attempt to deceive the Nigerian people. He is trying to make it seem like Tinubu’s trip to France is a “working visit” when it is clearly not. It is well-known that Tinubu has been suffering from various health issues, and it’s likely that he is traveling to Europe for medical treatment, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, it is important to be honest about the purpose of the trip with the Nigerian people.”
Mr, Onanuga however did not issue the statement but merely broadcast it on his wall.
“Working visit in what capacity if I may ask? Another user, @emperorkaash said.
A third @mikiukachi simply said: “If Buhari did it, why not Tinubu?”
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