Politics

Presidency, Opposition Exchange Words Over Tinubu’s Overseas Trips

Published

1 year ago

November 30, 2024

Editor

Major opposition parties have faulted President Bola Tinubu’s frequent travel abroad.

According to them, the president is more interested in globetrotting than addressing pressing issues in the country.

But the presidency said a leader who sought to bring foreign investments couldn’t afford to sit back when the harvest was out there.

In the past 18 months in office, Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have embarked on 43 trips across 28 countries.

The PUNCH analysis has shown that the president has visited 17 countries on 30 foreign trips.

The President is currently in France for a state visit.

Commenting on the trips, the National Deputy Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Timothy Osadolor, described Tinubu as a globetrotting president.

He said, “He believes more than ever before that being a president is only an exercise by how much you travel across the world. He’s busy globetrotting rather than sitting down to cut waste and develop the country’s economy. Foreign trips are good for investment attraction.

“But why do you have ministers of trade and investments as well as foreign ambassadors in this country? Also, these are several international business platforms the government should explore on one hand.”

Osadolor wondered why the funds spent on such trips could not be put to good use to salvage thousands of jobless Nigerian youths.

“The humongous taxpayer’s money being used on these contingents would be more than enough to set up more than 20 small-scale industries that could take over 10,000 youths off the streets of joblessness, and our production would have increased,” the youth leader added.

Speaking on the matter, the National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Ladipo Johnson, expressed reservations about the president’s frequent travels abroad.

According to Johnson, the trend is becoming worrisome.

He said, “It is not looking good. We don’t know the resultant effects of his globetrotting. At the moment, they tell us it will yield investments, but we haven’t seen it. How will investors come in when the economy doesn’t seem to be turning around? Then we also have the security issues to contend with.

“At the end of the day, we will see his scorecard when they mark his papers by May next year, which will be the mid-term of his four years. Then we can see the result of what he has invested so much in travelling and what has come out of it.”

Meanwhile, the presidential spokesman, Sunday Dare, who spoke in an interview with TVC, on Friday, explained that Tinubu as the ‘chief marketer’ of Nigeria couldn’t afford to sit back.

He said, “I think that for a country looking for direct investment and trying to pursue a new trajectory when it comes to the critical sector of the economy, there is a need for the new president to quickly make sure that he interacts with other presidents, investors and big international organisations who are present at most of these meetings they attend.

“Yes, there is work for the president at home, but he cannot be a sit-at-home president. He must go out there and speak for this country. He needs to make a strong pitch. The president is the number one spokesperson for his administration. These trips aren’t junkets. They are critical for the country’s development.”
PUNCH

Politics

Defection: Peter Obi Simply Looking For ‘Food Is Ready’ Party – Wike

Published

17 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe on former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his recent defection.

Speaking during a media parley on Wednesday, Wike said Obi is looking for a ‘food is ready’ political party.

The minister said, “Obi was in APGA, he couldn’t build APGA. He went to Labour, he ran away again from Labour. All he’s looking for is food is ready political party.”

Recall that Obi and Rabi’u Kwankwaso, former presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, on Sunday officially joined the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Politics

2027: Nobody Wants Fubara – Wike

Published

59 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that there is widespread support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to return in 2027.

Speaking during his monthly media parley on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike suggested that Fubara can’t claim to enjoy unanimous backing from the public.

He explained that the political crisis in Rivers State had earlier been addressed through the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, particularly during impeachment proceedings initiated against Fubara.

According to Wike, the President advised all parties to embrace peace, leading to the withdrawal of the impeachment move by the State House of Assembly after agreements were reached.

Wike, however, alleged that the governor failed to fully adhere to the terms agreed during the arbitration process.

Reacting to claims that the people were urging Fubara to seek re-election in 2027, Wike rejected the assertion, insisting that such narratives were misleading.

Wike maintained that appearing before the President for arbitration required respect for the outcome, noting that all parties were expected to uphold their commitments.

He said: “The President, intervened in the impeachment proceeding. I said withdraw, let their be peace. And the governor said, look, I’m ready for peace. Look, I’m no longer interested for this. I will not do this. The Assembly went and withdrew the impeachment.

“Having withdrawn the impeachment, he is now too smart on what you agreed before the President. It’s like when you go on arbitration.”

Wike continued, “This one is what I don’t like. Nobody wants anybody. Please, don’t tell me that. Excuse me.

You can go and tell that to the market people or children. Two years that people say he should come out. Who told you that?

“Which politician will say that I was sleeping they came and woke me? Even if people people come to wake you, can’t you say, no, I won’t do it. I’m not prepared for it.

“That you appeared before a President of the country on arbitration, the two parties on arbitration, and these people respected Mr. President, and have done their own part.”

Politics

2027: Wike Opens Up On Preferred Rivers Guber Candidate

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday said he hasn’t endorsed any candidate for the Rivers state gubernatorial election in 2027.

Wike stated this on Wednesday during his monthly media parley in Abuja.

Wike said that the endorsement will come only after a meeting by the joint coalition in the state.

He said: “I haven’t endorsed anybody. And I can’t endorse anybody until the joint coalition meets.”

DAILY POST reports that questions have been raised concerning the fate of current governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, in 2027.

The FCT Minister was reported to have endorsed former State Commissioner for Works, Alabo Dakorinama George Kelly, as his preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship election.

Sources told DAILY POST that Wike settled for George after a closed-door meeting with key political stakeholders in Port Harcourt on Monday.