Tinubu led Nigeria on ‘autopilot’ during Europe stay — Salihu

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ladan Salihu, has accused President Bola Tinubu of leaving Nigeria on “autopilot” during his prolonged stay in Europe.

Salihu, a former Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), made the remarks on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, a day after Tinubu returned to Nigeria following about four weeks abroad.

Tinubu left Abuja on August 30 for what the Presidency initially described as a three-week annual vacation, travelling first to London before moving to Paris. He eventually returned to Lagos on September 29 after the Presidency extended his stay by a few days.

Commenting on the President’s absence, Salihu said the prolonged stay demonstrated what he described as “contempt of leadership on the led.”

“President Bola Tinubu has clearly shown Nigerians that he prefers leading Nigeria on autopilot or leaving Nigeria on autopilot and staying more abroad to discuss with President Macron and being in London to what he called a working vacation,” he said.

“This is a classical contempt of leadership on the led. Through his absence from August 30 to yesterday, September 29, we have not had a word, not even a video feed from the President.”

Salihu also linked Tinubu’s absence to security challenges recorded during the period, citing reports of killings and kidnappings in parts of the country.

He specifically referred to the reported killing of 37 miners in Niger State and alleged attacks and abductions in Zamfara State, arguing that the President should have returned to Nigeria to directly address the situation.

“During the President’s absence, Nigeria has undergone a lot of trauma, trauma of insecurity, killings of people,” Salihu said.

According to him, the welfare and security of Nigerians should have taken priority over the President’s continued stay abroad.

“A president that has the interest of Nigerians at heart, the welfare and well-being and the security of the citizens as the core aspect of his leadership will easily have called off his trip, come back to Nigeria, address the myriad of political, economic and insecurity issues,” he said.

The ADC chieftain also faulted what he described as inadequate direct communication from Tinubu while the President was abroad.

“When he travels abroad, and he stays this long, it shows contempt towards the citizens, contempt towards the very office of leadership in the land and he is showing his lack of capacity and capability to run,” Salihu said.

He further argued that Tinubu could have addressed Nigerians through a video message following reports of deaths and insecurity.

“If you are in London, Paris, give us a video feed to commiserate, to sympathise with Nigerians over the death of 37 citizens; we didn’t see that. We only saw people in the Villa, Bayo Onanuga, replying to Nigerians,” he said.

“Bayo Onanuga is not the President we want to hear from. President Bola Tinubu is who we want to hear from while and whenever he is abroad.”

Tinubu’s absence also attracted criticism over his failure to personally attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the gathering and delivered the country’s national statement on the President’s behalf.

The Presidency defended the arrangement, saying Shettima had Tinubu’s full mandate to represent the country while the President was away. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga also maintained that Tinubu remained in contact with officials and continued directing government affairs remotely.

During his time in France, Tinubu held a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron and met business leaders, including Vincent Bolloré and Femi Otedola. He also witnessed the signing of an agreement between the Ogun State Government and DP World on the development of the Gateway Deep Sea Port and a Blue Marine Economic Zone.

On his return to Lagos, Tinubu dismissed concerns about his health, saying he was “healthy, sound, and ready to go.”

The President is expected to participate in activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary in Lagos on October 1.