‘Rechargeable President-elect,’ as Banwo, Sani aim dig at Tinubu over latest Euro trip

Legal practitioner, IT and Business Solutions Specialist, Dr Ope Banwo, has described Bola Tinubu, chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a ‘rechargeable president-elect’, as reactions continue to trail the decision by former Governor of Lagos to embark on another foreign trip barely two weeks after returning from a near two-month stay abroad.

Tinubu’s decision to jet out of the country comes barely two weeks to the planned May 29 inauguration of his government to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari who exits the Presidential Villa after eight years in office.

A statement issued by the Office of the President-elect, Wednesday, and signed by Mr. Tunde Rahman, disclosed that Chief Tinubu, a respondent in all three petitions filed by the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP) and Allied People’s Movement (APM) currently at the ongoing Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) in Abuja, had opted to leave the country ‘for Europe on a working visit.’

The trip could potentially stall proceedings at the tribunal, which petitioners are challenging Tinubu’s declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as winner of the disputed February 25 poll and President-elect.

According to the statement, Tinubu left Nigeria Wednesday afternoon for Europe and ‘will use the opportunity of the trip to finetune the transition plans and programmes, and his policy options with some of his key aides without unnecessary pressures and distractions.’

“During the visit, the President-elect will engage with investors and other key allies with the goal of marketing investment opportunities in the country and his administration’s readiness to enable a business-friendly climate through policies and regulations.

“Already, meetings with multi-sectoral actors in Europe’s business community including manufacturing, agriculture, tech and energy have been lined up.

“Asíwájú Tinubu hopes to convince them of Nigeria’s readiness to do business under his leadership through mutually-beneficial partnerships premised on jobs creation and skills acquisition.

“Reviving the country’s economy forms a major plank of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda and the meeting is part of his efforts to re-establish Nigeria’s importance in the global economic chain and create empowering opportunities for the country’s huge youth population.

“The President-elect has hitherto promised to hit the ground running and the visit is reflective of his commitment to the promise as he has already begun talks with global actors in the important areas of the economy and security.

“Before he left the country, Asíwájú Tinubu met with the House of Representatives candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker endorsed by his party, the All Progressives Congress, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who were presented to him by Joint Task Team of the House.

“He is scheduled to return shortly for preparations towards his official swearing in as the 16th President of the country on May 29, 2023,” the statement read.

However, weighing in on the president-elect’s trip, a supporter of the Labour Party, IT Business Solutions and Legal expert, Dr Ope Banwo described Tinubu as a ‘rechargeable president-elect’ who ‘has flown out again for ‘recharge’ even as Petition case just started.

Also, former senator representing Kaduna Central at the National Assembly and chieftain of the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Shehu Sani  said in the face of the controversy surrounding the real reasons why the president-elect left the country for France, that ‘Asiwaju travelled to watch PSG vs Ajaccio match. May God forgive those of us who may have lied.’

Dr Ope Banwo writing on his Twitter handle (@opebanwo), Wednesday, in reaction to Tinubu’s latest trip debunked the latter’s media claims that their principal travelled on a working visit to Europe to meet with investors, as he wrote:

“RECHARGEABLE ASHIWAJU TINUBU FLIES OUT AGAIN?

“Less than 2 weeks after coming back from a 30 day ‘recharge’ trip, it Looks like the APC Rechargeable President Select has flown out again for ‘recharge’ even as Petition case just started? I am noticing that the times between when he has to go back abroad to ‘recharge’ or ‘consultations’ is getting less and less in last one year. I am now confused if it’s Europe he wants to rule that he keeps traveling there for ‘consultation’ since he had denied going there for health reasons.

“But sha, Nigerians, se na like this we go dey go? Recharging our president every month? Appeal Court, I beg please do the right thing and save Nigeria from pain that we all know is coming in this health front #rechargeable #RechargeableBAT”

Further writing on his Twitter handle (@ShehuSani), Wednesday night, Senator Sani wrote: “Some say Asiwaju traveled for Medicals. Some say Asiwaju travelled for foreign investors. Let me add my own, Asiwaju travelled to watch PSG vs Ajaccio match. May God forgive those of us who may have lied.”

Tinubu’s health status has been a subject of concern to many Nigerians who also spotted implants on the arm of the president-elect on arrival, penultimate week, from France, where he had gone to for undisclosed reasons, as his legal counsels battled to piece together responses to file at the PEPT following the petitions challenging his emergence as winner of the February 25 presidential election.