…Says leaving Nigeria headless height of executive rascality
By Steve Oko
A former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has expressed shock and disappointment over the simultaneous foreign trips by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu; and Vice President Kashim Shettima, describing it as “the height of executive rascality “.
Recall that while President Tinubu travelled to France for a two-week working visit, Shettima departed for Dakar, Senegal where he was to represent the President during the country’s 65th Independence Day Anniversary celebrations on April 4.
Reacting to the development, the former Senate President faulted President Tinubu and the Vice President “for leaving Nigeria headless”.
He described the scenario as “a serious dereliction of duty and display of utter disregard for the people of Nigeria.”
The former Senate President explained that “while Mr President has the right to travel outside the country when necessary, he should duly hand over power to his Vice in an Acting capacity.”
He, therefore, argued that “it is absolutely not proper for the VP who should be the Acting President to also travel out of the country while Mr President is still away”.
The former Senate President said if Nigeria must be represented at the event in Senegal, the relevant Government Official, “in this case the Foreign Affairs Minister, should have been delegated instead of the Vice President leaving the country headless.”
Senator Wabara who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said he found it very strange for both the President and his Vice, to abandon governance and embark on foreign trips simultaneously.
The former Senate President who recalled that it was not the first time Tinubu and the VP would be traveling out of the country at the same time, said “it amounts to a fragrant display of disdain for the people on whose mandate they occupy such sensitive offices”.
Senator Wabara maintained that “the office of the President and Vice President of a country is so serious that the occupants should place national interest above personal gains”.
He wondered how the President and his Vice arrived at placing two-week vacation in France, and participation in the independence anniversary of Senegal above the national interest of Nigeria.
He argued that abandoning the country at a time so many national issues require the attention of the President and his Vice “is to say the least, an insult both to Nigeria and the offices they occupy”.
The former Senate President advised President Tinubu and his Vice, “to stop toying with the future of Nigerians and face governance.”
He said:”It’s baffling to hear that the President and his Vice both abandoned governance and travelled out of the country at the same time, thus leaving the country headless. How can the country be burning and the number one and number two citizens of the country be away? This can only happen in Nigeria.
“How else can a leader show disdain for the people he swore an oath to lead and defend. Leaving the country headless at a time so many boiling issues demand presidential intervention, is a misplacement of priority.
“With the rising tension in Edo State and threats of reprisal in parts of the North; the bloodbath in Plateau, Zamfara, Sokoto and Benue; the political apprehension in Rivers and Bayelsa States; plus the festering insecurity in many states; traveling out of Nigeria is the least to expect from any serious-minded, patriotic President and his Vice.
” Tinubu and his Vice, have again, clearly demonstrated that either they are overwhelmed or simply not prepared for governance. They have shown that they have little or no regard for Nigeria and Nigerians.”
The former Senate President urged the National Assembly not to fail in its constitutional role of acting as checks-and-balance to the Executive to avoid impunity.
Wabara who alleged that “democracy in Nigeria is under state capture”, warned against what he called “executive rascality”.
The ex-Diplomat advised Mr President to follow due process and the standard practice in governance; “and stop making our democracy a laughing stock before the global community”.
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