Doyin Okupe, a former presidential aide, says President Bola Tinubu’s trip to the United Kingdom (UK) will allow him to reflect on the policies of his administration.
On October 2, the presidency announced Tinubu’s departure from Abuja to the UK for a two-week vacation as part of his annual leave. “Tinubu will use the two weeks as a working vacation and a retreat to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms — he will return to the country after the leave expires,” the presidency had said.
However, many Nigerians have criticised the president’s leave at the time of widespread economic hardship in the country. Speaking in an interview with NAN in Lagos on Thursday, Okupe slammed critics of the president’s vacation, describing them as “uninformed.”
He said the president needed a peaceful atmosphere to reassess his cabinet, adding that it would help him to avoid interference from political associates.
“I have read many uninformed criticisms of the president’s holiday trip abroad,” Okupe said. Personally, from my understanding of how presidents behave in periods of national cri§is, I believe the president has willfully separated himself from officials, friends, and associates to reflect and review the last 17 months and chart a new way forward for his administration.
At the same time, it is to carefully avoid undue interference from political associates in his thought process to rejig his cabinet. Staying anywhere in Nigeria definitely will not afford him such a peaceful and serene atmosphere to achieve his objective.” The former presidential aide added that Tinubu’s return after “this retreat” will usher in a brighter future for Nigerians and bring relief and comfort to the masses.
