The Other Side Of President Tinubu’s Private Visits

When President Bola Tinubu took his leave of the country last Wednesday on a private visit to Paris, France, at a time when the people on the Plateau were still trying to recover their dead after the previous walk-through by the merchants of death, many were undoubtedly astonished.

As the commander-in-chief went on a private venture at this particular time, the issue of the failure of the state to provide its basic responsibility of security to the citizenry again came to the fore.

Of course, many anecdotes have emerged on the president’s proclivity towards Paris, France for his private visits. Since he won the election, Tinubu has been to Paris, France on at least three occasions.

Since the president has not visited the Plateau where hundreds have died since he emerged as president, it must mean that there must be something very, very important to him that precedes his personal attention to the crisis on the Plateau. That urgency in Paris must also be more important than the fate of the bewildered folks around him in Bwari, a few kilometers away from the Presidential Villa, who have been swarmed by terrorists. It also must be more important than the fate of the NYSC corps members held in Zamfara and Nigerians held hostage by kidnappers around the country.

An easy explanation that has been rationalized by many Nigerians is that the president may have gone on a private consultation with his doctors in the French capital. If that is the case, it is humane to understand with him and wish him good health.

As we mature in age, life and keeping it becomes a priority. Many are today spending fortunes to keep themselves in good fettle given that life has no duplicate.

If that is the case, we can only pray for President Tinubu that God Almighty would guide his doctors to give him the best medications and treatment for the onerous task he has in navigating the country towards good fortunes.

Of course, the debate as to the choice of Paris for his medical treatments is open to discussion. That so, especially after the last First Lady, Aisha Buhari in her last days in office said that with the upgrade of the State House Clinic, that the First Family would not have any more reason to seek foreign treatment abroad.

However, many were quick to put Aisha Buhari to task for her discovery made just days before her husband exited office.

Remarkably, Tinubu has taken to France with aplomb in the same way that his predecessor, Buhari took to London with poise for his own ‘private visits.’

Recent disclosures from Femi Adesina’s book, Working With Buhari have now revealed how President Buhari was unconscious during at least one of those private visits that were kept away from the eyes of the public. How Nigeria survived and many infractions committed in the course of those private visits are also beginning to emerge.

We can only pray that the Renewed Hope mantra would change the narrative of our presidents taking solace abroad at the expense of the collective psyche of a nation with about the best health care personnel scattered around the world but few resident in the country.

President Tinubu is able to go about his private affairs while remaining president apparently because of the benighted configuration of the political class in putting him to task.

That fact was further projected last Thursday as the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje outlined his proposal to make Kano a one-party state.

Returning to Kano after the party lost to the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP at the Supreme Court, he hinted at the prospects of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf defecting to the APC.

Ganduje’s unhidden drive is to make Kano State a one-party state. The reason for the bewildering political drive to make politics private in Kano, he suggested in his address to APC stakeholders, was essentially because of presidential politics.

Ganduje and Tinubu are looking towards 2027 where the duo hope to harvest the votes of Kano to consolidate on the APC’s grasp on the nation.

It is, however, a challenge given perceptions of the political class in the North as most recently expressed by the Senate Majority Whip, Senator Ali Ndume.

While Tinubu may have recovered lost grounds in the Southwest with his embellishment of the region with favoured appointments, there is no gain-saying that the president needs to move more to enhance his 2027 prospects. It is unfortunate that he is not prioritizing the Middle-Belt that could ordinarily rescue him.  

Ganduje’s invite to Governor Yusuf is apparently another bait to redeem lost ground in the Northwest.  However, central to whatever the APC does in Kano is Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the political leader of the NNPP.

Remarkably, an online newspaper called Kwankwaso to confirm the speculation about him returning to the APC. The former governor was abrupt in his engagement with the newspaper as he cut short the discussion and disclosed that he was abroad.

This correspondent was also quick to observe that the last time that Tinubu was in Paris on what some alleged was a medical outing, it later leaked out that one of the visitors who called on him was Kwankwaso. At that time the two were said to have been negotiating a ministerial deal in favour of Kwankwaso not pursing the election in the election petition tribunal.

It was as such not out of place for your correspondent to ponder whether Kwankwaso and Tinubu were also pulling out another deal in Paris in private. Whatever, these private political issues and visits need to be quickly ended for the more important consideration of developments on the Plateau and the bastardisation of the naira that require the attention of President Tinubu.

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG