By Aminu Garko
Kano, The African Democratic Congress, ADC, Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, has demanded full disclosure from the Presidency over the prolonged absence of President Bola Tinubu from Nigeria, six days after the expiration of his originally announced three-week vacation.
The ADC PCC, in a statement signed by its Director, Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday, expressed concern that as of Sept. 27, Tinubu has yet to return to the country following the expiration of the vacation reportedly scheduled to end on Sept. 21.
“The Presidency owes Nigerians a clear and transparent explanation. The continued absence of the President, without sufficient public information on his whereabouts or the circumstances surrounding the extension of his stay abroad, has inevitably generated questions and public concern,” Ologbondiyan said.
He said the office of the President is a public trust and Nigerians who elected Tinubu are entitled to know where their President is and who is exercising presidential authority while he remains outside the country.
According to him, this is particularly important at a time when Nigeria is confronted by serious economic pressures, widespread hardship and persistent security challenges
“The country cannot afford uncertainty at the highest level of government,” he said.
The ADC called on the Presidency to immediately provide clear, 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 the period.
It also urged the Presidency to clarify the status of the President’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 council said.
The ADC expressed concern over the reported decision to extend the President’s vacation and the directive that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, should continue to represent the President at official functions.
It said while the Presidency may provide administrative explanations for the arrangement, such explanations do not answer the fundamental question of who is constitutionally and effectively in charge of the affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria while the President remains away.
The council said it joins concerned Nigerians in demanding transparency, accountability and respect for the constitutional responsibilities attached to the office of President.
It added that 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.
“The ADC therefore calls on the Presidency to immediately provide Nigerians with a comprehensive and unambiguous explanation. Silence can only deepen public anxiety and fuel speculation,” Ologbondiyan said.