By Joyce Ekeh
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday challenged President Bola Tinubu to either return to Nigeria to tackle the country’s problems or attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, in New York to seek international assistance.
The party faulted the President’s decision to extend his working vacation in Europe and stay away from the annual global gathering, saying his absence came at a difficult time for Nigerians facing insecurity, economic hardship and renewed hopelessness.
In a press statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Interim National Working Committee, Ini Ememobong, the PDP said Tinubu, having sought the presidency and been sworn into office, remained accountable to Nigerians.
“If the President is not in Nigeria solving the problems of the country, he should be at UNGA seeking international help for the country,” Ememobong said.
The opposition party said the President’s decision to remain on vacation was difficult to reconcile with the realities confronting the country, arguing that the security and economic challenges required his attention.
“No reasonable parent or caretaker goes on vacation when his house is burning,” the PDP said.
The party also criticised what it described as the Presidency’s attitude towards Nigerians questioning the President’s absence, insisting that citizens had the right to demand accountability from the person entrusted with the nation’s highest office.
“We must remind the President and the Presidency that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu sought for this job, and by being sworn in, he became the servant, not lord and master, of the country and all Nigerians, who have a right to question how he governs them,” the PDP said.
The party further questioned why Tinubu, having travelled to Europe, would not proceed to the United States for UNGA, which it described as an important opportunity for Nigeria to seek international support.
According to the PDP, the President should either be in Nigeria tackling the country’s problems or at the global forum seeking assistance for them.
“There is no greater insult to the presidential mandate than this,” the party said.
The opposition party said Tinubu’s absence from both Nigeria and UNGA was particularly troubling because, while he was on vacation in Europe, the President of the country where he was staying was attending the global summit.
It urged Nigerians to take note of what it described as the “disrespect and disdain” shown by the Presidency towards citizens demanding that the President execute the responsibilities of his office.
The PDP subsequently urged Nigerians to allow the controversy to inform their choices at the next presidential election, saying the country needed a leader prepared to work both within Nigeria and internationally.
“This must guide our choices at the ballot in January, during the presidential elections, because we need a President who is ready, willing and able to work conscientiously for our country, locally and internationally,” the party said.
Recall that the Presidency had announced that Tinubu extended his working vacation by a few days and would return to Nigeria at the weekend.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who left Abuja for New York on September 20, is to represent the President at the 81st UNGA and present Nigeria’s national statement.
