The African Democratic Congress (ADC) said the continued absence of President Bola Tinubu, six days after the expiration of his 21 days annual leave, is worrisome.
ADC in a statement by Director, Media and Publicity of its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Kola Ologbondiyan, noted that Tinubu’s annual leave ended on September 21, but as at Sunday, September 27, his whereabouts was still unknown.
“The presidency owes Nigerians a clear and transparent explanation,” the party stated, adding that the president’s continued absence without sufficient public information on his whereabouts or the circumstances surrounding the extension of his stay abroad, is generating questions and public concern.
“The office of the president is a public trust. Nigerians who elected President Tinubu are entitled to know where their president is and, more importantly, who is exercising presidential authority while he remains outside the country.
“This is particularly important at a time when Nigeria is confronted by serious economic pressures, widespread hardship and persistent security challenges,” the party said.
It called on the presidency to provide clear and verifiable information on the president’s current location, the reason for the prolonged absence and the constitutional arrangements governing the administration of the country during this period.
According to the ADC, presidency should also clarify the status of President Tinubu’s vacation and explain the constitutional basis for the current arrangement, particularly where the president remains away from the country beyond the period earlier communicated to Nigerians.
“Nigerians deserve openness, not secrecy. Presidential movements and the exercise of executive authority cannot be treated as matters of private convenience when they directly concern the governance of a nation of more than 200 million people,” the party added.
ADC also said the presidency should provided administrative explanations on the arrangement that the Secretary to the presidency said the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, should continue to represent the president at official functions.
This, the party stated, is because the directive did not answer the fundamental question of who is constitutionally in charge of the affairs of Nigeria while the president remains abroad.
“President Tinubu was elected to lead Nigeria, and Nigerians have a legitimate expectation that the presidency will keep them adequately informed about matters affecting the exercise of presidential authority,” it added.
Source: Politics Archives – New Telegraph
