A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ladan Salihu, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s prolonged stay in Europe, accusing him of leaving Nigeria on “auto pilot” while away from the country.

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.

He said Tinubu’s absence from Nigeria between August 30 and September 29 showed 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.

“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 said.

He also criticised the President over insecurity and other challenges recorded during his absence.

“During the President’s absence, Nigeria has undergone a lot of trauma, trauma of insecurity, killings of people,” he said, citing the reported killing of 37 miners in Niger State and alleged killings and kidnappings in Zamfara State.

Salihu said a president concerned about the welfare and security of Nigerians would have returned to the country to address the challenges.

“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.

According to him, Tinubu’s prolonged stay abroad also raised questions about the President’s communication with Nigerians.

“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 added that Tinubu should have addressed Nigerians directly while abroad, particularly following reports of deaths and insecurity in the country.

“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.

“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,” he said.

Tinubu Return

Tinubu returned to Nigeria on Tuesday, September 29, after spending about four weeks in Europe.

He arrived in Lagos from Paris at about 6:22 pm aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft. Journalists were not allowed to film or take pictures of his arrival.

The president left Abuja on August 30 for what the Presidency initially described as a three-week annual vacation, with London as his first destination, before proceeding to Paris.

During his stay in France, Tinubu held a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron and met business leaders, including Bolloré Group Chairman Vincent Bolloré and First HoldCo Plc Chairman Femi Otedola.

He also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World for the development of the Gateway Deep Sea Port in Ogun Waterside and the Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, a project expected to attract more than $7 billion in investment.

The Presidency later announced that Tinubu had extended his working vacation by a few days.

Tinubu’s Absence Defence

Tinubu’s prolonged stay abroad generated criticism from opposition figures and others, particularly over his absence from 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 Tinubu’s behalf.

The Presidency defended the arrangement, saying Shettima had the President’s full mandate to represent Nigeria at the global gathering.

It also described Tinubu’s trip as a working vacation, maintaining that the President remained in contact with officials and continued to direct the affairs of government remotely.

The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had also said Tinubu did not need to be physically present in Abuja to discharge his responsibilities in the digital age.

‘Healthy, Sound And Ready To Go’

Speaking to journalists on his return to Lagos on Tuesday, Tinubu said he enjoyed his four-week stay in Europe and dismissed concerns about his health.

Asked how the vacation was, the President said, “I enjoyed myself. Fantastic.”

Asked about concerns raised by some Nigerians, including some of his supporters, over his health, Tinubu said, “Ready to kick, ready to walk. There’s nothing wrong.

“Rumour will always be emanating from politics, but the facts remain: I’m here. Healthy, sound, and ready to go.”

Tinubu’s return comes ahead of Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1.

He is expected to participate in activities marking the anniversary in Lagos, including the premiere of a documentary on the late Moshood Abiola at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre.

The president is also expected to hold political meetings in Lagos before returning to Abuja. (Channels)