For the Presidency, last week shared similarities with the one before it in a lot of ways. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was abroad, rounding off his two-week working leave, and like the upper week, his leave did not impede the running of the Nigerian system. He made appearances where it was needed, albeit by proxy, and not any less impactful as it naturally would have been if he had been around in person. A couple of events where he was meant to preside went according to natural flow.
As things went by, just like the week before, there were a couple of occasions when the President came through, running the show as he usually would do. As he was yet on leave abroad, he did all he had to do to ensure nothing goes amiss, through statements and representations.
One occasion of significance during the week was the 30th Nigerian Economic Summit on Monday in Abuja, where the President found a platform to outline his economic vision and at the same time address a critical segment, which holds so much influence and meaning to what he is trying to do with the Nigerian economy; the business, economic and commercial community. Represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, who all along has not failed to provide quality representation since their joint-ticket journey started in July 2022, the President emphasized the need for economic diversification, stability, and growth.
According to Tinubu, Nigeria’s growth trajectory has been volatile, heavily dependent on oil revenues and unable to create enough jobs for its rapidly growing population. However, he said his Renewed Hope Agenda aims to change this narrative by prioritizing economic diversification. In this plan of his, key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and the digital economy will drive inclusive growth. He said investments in critical infrastructure, social safety nets, and innovation will be crucial, adding that the government has already made significant strides in addressing infrastructure deficits, regulatory bottlenecks, and ease of doing business challenges.
To show how much progress has been made, he said ongoing projects include roads, railways, and power plants to enhance connectivity and productivity, further adding that harmonizing regulatory processes will reduce bureaucratic hurdles, promoting entrepreneurship and innovation. He also said initiatives like MSME hubs and single-digit loans for manufacturers will support entrepreneurs.
However, economic growth and competitiveness rely on stability, so he acknowledged the need to address security challenges, fiscal imbalances, and implement fiscal reforms. To this end he his administration is investing heavily in security operations to combat terrorism, banditry, and other forms of insecurity. He said the administration is also expanding social safety nets, like the National Social Investment Programme and National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy. These programs protect vulnerable members of society, ensuring the economy remains resilient and inclusive.
“Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Nigeria’s growth trajectory has been volatile, heavily dependent on oil revenues, and unable to create enough jobs to keep pace with our rapidly growing population. As a nation, we must prioritize economic diversification. With this in mind, my administration, through the Renewed Hope Agenda, has embarked on bold reforms designed to create an environment that fosters sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity. Our focus is on sectors that can offer inclusive and sustainable growth, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and the digital economy.
“As such, we need to prioritize investments in critical infrastructure, enhance our social safety nets, and promote innovation across all sectors. To achieve this, we must address several key issues, including infrastructure deficits, regulatory bottlenecks, and ease of doing business challenges. The government has already made significant strides in these areas.
“As we gather here today, it is clear that no single sector or stakeholder can address these challenges alone. What we need now, more than ever, is collaborative action—where the public and private sectors, civil society, and international partners unite to drive a shared vision for growth and development.
“As we begin this summit, I would like to emphasize that the challenges before us, while significant, are not insurmountable. With the right policies, the right partnerships, and the right level of commitment, Nigeria can emerge stronger, more competitive, and more resilient than ever before. The Nigerian Economic Summit remains an invaluable platform for fostering the dialogue and collaboration needed to move our country forward. Let us use this opportunity to not only discuss but also take decisive actions that will drive growth, enhance competitiveness, and secure long-term stability for Nigeria”, he said.
In the face of all the socioeconomic vicissitudes we currently experience as a nation, President Tinubu has ensured to place himself in the heart of it all in order to prove that when he says he feels our pains and that he is not far removed from what the ordinary Nigerian is facing, he means it. That is the reason he always finds the occasions and platforms to highlight what he knows is happening to us at the moment and expresses why his government is doing all it is engaged in, one of which was his outing at the NES-30.
The President made more than just one appearance in the course of the week, he ensured to step in from time to time, showing there is a direction and that he has an answer in every circumstance. For instance, when our national honour and image got tested by rather unseemly and provocative series of events in far away Libya, besides other steps taken by government, the President personally stepped in and sent in his ‘words of the King’ by demanding justice from the relevant authority governing the situation.
You will recall that the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, was meant to be playing the second leg of the African Cup of Nations’ (AFCON) qualifier in Benghazi against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya on Monday. However, the match had to be psotponed because Libya as a nation decided to be diabolical and unsportsmanlike by attempting to use other means to steal the three points of the match.
It all started with the Libyan authorities suddenly denying the aircraft conveying the Nigerian contingent landing permission at the Benghazi airport, as scheduled. The aircraft’s crew was told, despite protests that it was low on fuel, to head to the Al Abraq airport, a distance of 236 kilometres and a road driving distance of about three and a half hours. The thing was the flight was originally scheduled to land at the Benghazi Benina International Airport, but on approaching the airport, the Nigerian contingent was informed that “an instruction from way high up” had directed that they could not land where they had been scheduled to land, which was meant to be the city where the match was scheduled to be played.
At the Al Abraq Airport, our team landed to one of the most hostile receptions, even locked in the airport, not permitted to leave or be visited, a hostage situation; no water, no food, no internet and tossed up and down by officials on duty. For more than 16 hours, the situation was becoming dire and scary until God, humanity and diplomatic moves intervened and they were ‘permitted’ to leave the airport and return to Nigeria.
A lot of strings were pulled and according to the back-stories gleaned from reliable sources, it was actually President Tinubu who made most of the critical moves. How he did it, who he reached and the content of the conversations are still not public, the key thing is Nigeria managed to escape whatever it was the Libyan authorities were plotting and it all happened even with his being on leave, abroad.
Besides the steps he reportedly took, President Tinubu has called for sanctions against Libya for its unsportsmanlike conduct. This call is a significant move because the office and person of the Nigerian President control so much weight, not just in Africa, but globally. That is the person who leads one-sixth of the African population, a figure which means a lot in the global community.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Ononuga, on Monday, Tinubu called on CAF to do the needful by investigating the circumstances surrounding the hostage-taking of Nigeria’s contingent. Some people have even described that gruesome experience as an attempt on the lives of our representatives, a situation requiring legal action against all involved in the ugly experience.
“President Bola Tinubu, deeply moved by the inhuman treatment endured by the Super Eagles of Nigeria at a Libyan airport, warmly welcomes their safe return to Nigeria. President Tinubu expects the Disciplinary Board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to conduct a thorough investigation and recommend appropriate action against those who wilfully violated the organisation’s Statutes and Regulations. The President commends the proactive coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Sports Development in addressing the unfortunate episode and ensuring the safe return of our players.
“President Tinubu applauds the players for keeping their spirit alive despite the excruciating ordeal in Libya. The Nigerian leader recognises football’s unifying power in bringing nations and people together and views the treatment of our citizens as unsportsmanlike and inhumane, a stark contrast to the spirit of the game he deeply appreciates”, the statement said.
By the way, the Presidency cleared the air on a situation that is likely to present itself from time to time. You are aware that President Tinubu has been out of the country on a two-week working vacation and the Vice President has been on ground, running the show. Now there are events opened to be attended abroad, which fell on the Vice President to attend, on behalf of the nation.
This situation raised old dusts from the public and the question, same as when similar circumstance was encountered in the past, has been who runs the system when both the President and Vice President are offshore? Though it was not like the system grounded to a halt when it happened in the past, those raising the question, who are necessarily not lawyers, ask in order to get clarity. Well, the Presidency provided that clarity in the course of the week, in a statement issued by the President’s spokesman, Onanuga
“Following enquiries by journalists as to who is in charge of our country as the President and Vice President are out of the country, we want to clarify: It is important to note that the President and Vice President are fully engaged with the nation’s affairs, even while they are away. There is no leadership vacuum in the country. President Tinubu left the country on 3 October and is on a two-week working vacation. During this time, he has been busy answering phones and issuing directives on matters of state. He will soon return to the country before the vacation officially expires.
“The Vice President departed the country Wednesday for Sweden on an official visit, working for Nigeria. All state organs are functioning as usual. The Senate President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ministers, and Service Chiefs are all in their respective positions, ensuring the smooth operation of the government. The Constitution, a testament to our adaptability in the virtual age, does not explicitly require the physical presence of either the President or the vice president in the country at all times to fulfill his duties”, the statement said.
