Peoples Democratic Party and Coalition of United Political Parties on Thursday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to disclose his reason for embarking on a 10-day trip to United Kingdom.
They said it was wrong for the President to embark on a journey without telling Nigerians what he would do while away.
Their reactions followed a statement from Presidency that Mr Buhari would travel to the UK on Thursday on a “private visit.”
The President, who was on an official visit to Maiduguri, Borno State capital, on Thursday, was expected to travel to UK after the trip to the north-eastern state. He will be away till May 5.
Due to this, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo presided over Federal Executive Council meeting.
The statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, stated, “Further to the official visit by Buhari to Lagos on Wednesday where he inaugurated a number of projects executed by the state government, the President is scheduled to depart for Maiduguri, Borno State capital for another official visit on Thursday.
“He is expected to inaugurate projects especially in the sectors of education, health care and roads.
“At the end of the visit, Buhari will be proceeding to United Kingdom on a private visit. He is expected to return to Nigeria on May 5, 2019.”
Buhari can’t travel with public funds and fail to disclose mission– PDP
However, PDP National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus, who spoke with one of our correspondents, said it was improper for the President to travel with public funds but fail to “disclose his movements.”
He said it would be wrong for the President to allow Nigerians to be speculating on whether he (the President) was attending to his health or not.
Secondus said, “The President is not travelling as in individual. He is travelling as the President of Nigeria elected by Nigerians in 2015 to lead them.
“He is not going to the UK on a commercial airline; but on a presidential jet being maintained by taxpayers. Nigerians are going to be responsible for his welfare and the welfare of those who are going with him.
“The President should therefore open up and tell Nigerians his itinerary in the UK. Is he going on holiday? Is he going for medicals? Who are those who will be his guests there and where will he visit? Is he going on a short break?
“These are not too much to tell the people, especially by a man who preaches integrity and always claims that his government has nothing to hide.”
Nigeria is on autopilot under Buhari, says CUPP
In its reaction, CUPP said the trip had proved that the country had been on autopilot since he assumed office.
The coalition’s national spokesman, Mr Imo Ugochinyere, said this in an interview with one of our correspondents.
Ugochinyere also said since his trips were funded with taxpayers’ money, the President should disclose the reason for his latest travel instead of tagging it a private visit.
He said, “The President is taking Nigerians for granted. He does whatever he likes without bothering about anybody. After spending over a year outside the country in the last four years, he has again embarked on what he called a private visit with taxpayers’ money.
“The man is not doing anything. The country is on autopilot. The country has been on autopilot since he took over and it is still on autopilot.
“If he is going for regular medicals, he should be bold enough to tell us. If he is going on holiday, he should also tell us because his trips are funded with taxpayers’ money.
“It is clear that the country does not have a competent leader. The job of the President is a 24 hours job but this man is not doing this job.”
Buhari’s frequent trips alarming, says group
On his part, Executive Director, United Global Resolve for Peace, Shalom Olaseni, said the President had the constitutional right to leave the country even for more than a week without disclosing his itinerary in as much as proper handing over to the Vice-President was done.
He, however, expressed concerns over Buhari’s frequent trips, which he said, had not yielded any benefit to the nation.
Presidency declines to shed more light on President’s ‘private visit’
However, in spite of the crticisms by the opposition, attempts to get the reaction of the President’s media managers did not yield fruit.
An enquiry mail sent to Adesina and Senior Special Assistant to Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, was not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
Punch
