A top presidency source yesterday dismissed a proposed junket to the United Kingdom by persons described by its organisers as “ ministers of the federal government” to “present the scorecard of President Bola Tinubu as his administration marks its second year in office.”
The proposed London trip, coming on the heels of President Tinubu’s brand new “Nigeria First” policy has been roundly condemned by government watchers as a wasteful jamboree in the age of instant global communication.
Among other notable commentators, Nigeria’s Arise TV anchors, led by former presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, had feasted on the London trip on national TV, pointing out that the ministers planning to attend would travel with a retinue of aides and associates in a wasteful antithesis to Tinubu’s Nigeria First policy.
Bode Adeyemi who described himself as the Project Internal Coordinator of the President Bola Tinubu Midterm Legacy Projects Review Committee, had said at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.
Adeyemi named the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Works, David Umahi, and Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, as among those who will present the achievements of their ministries at the event in the UK.
Adeyemi also named the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe; Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Usman Osidi; Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacheous Adedeji, as those expected to attend the conference and “use the opportunity to showcase the Tinubu administration’s achievements and legacy projects.”
According to him, “President Bola Tinubu’s government has made unprecedented achievements under twenty-four months of administration despite all the distractions and the global economic situation.
“We have painstakingly taken detailed records of all major achievements of this administration and confirm that every well-meaning Nigerian and the international community alike should be proud of the Midas touch President Bola Tinubu has given to Nigeria’s leadership, which has culminated in a verifiable success story,” he said.
“All the projects have been put together as a compendium and also a version put into a website that would be launched during the forthcoming event.”
When confronted with the apparent contradiction between the London jamboree and the president’s widely commended “Nigeria First” policy released last week, a top of the president said Aso Rock is not involved in the programme.
He pointed out that several persons are organizing different kinds of programmes, including proposing awards for the president, stating that they are purely private initiatives without government input.
He emphasised the administration’s unwavering commitment to the Nigeria First initiative, stating that President Tinubu is fully committed to ensuring that whatever goods or services that are available or can be procured in Nigeria will be strictly procured locally.
But at the London conference’s organising team’s briefing, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, UK Chapter, Tunde Doherty, maintained that the programme would present the right narrative about governance in Nigeria to the international community and dispel opposition propaganda about President Tinubu’s administration.
He noted that the administration has made significant achievements in infrastructure, economy, security, job availability, healthcare development, aviation, and digital economy.
Doherty said: “The singular fact that Nigerian and private refineries started production under this administration is an unforgettable achievement.
“The local government autonomy push by the President is another giant stride, and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal road, Sokoto-Badagry superhighway, IMF debt repayment, removal of subsidies that have doubled allocation to states, enforcement of the rule of law and security are giant strides the Tinubu administration will always be remembered for,” he said.