A former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe has said that President Bola Tinubu’s trip to the United Kingdom (UK) will permit him to reflect on all the policies of his administration.
The presidency, on October 2, announced Tinubu’s departure from Abuja to the UK for a two-week vacation as part of his annual leave.
“Tinubu will use the two weeks as a working vacation and a retreat to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms — he will return to the country after the leave expires,” the presidency had said.
Nevertheless, a lot of Nigerians have criticised the president’s leave at the time of prevalent economic hardship in the country.
But whilst speaking in an interview with NAN in Lagos on Thursday, Okupe shot down critics of the president’s vacation, labelling them as “uninformed”.
He mentioned that the president needed a serene atmosphere to reassess his cabinet, saying that it would help him to eschew interference from political affiliates.
“I have read many uninformed criticisms of the president’s holiday trip abroad,” Okupe said.
“Personally, from my understanding of how presidents behave in periods of national crisis, I believe the president has willfully separated himself from officials, friends, and associates to reflect and review the last 17 months and chart a new way forward for his administration.
“At the same time, it is to carefully avoid undue interference from political associates in his thought process to rejig his cabinet.
“Staying anywhere in Nigeria definitely will not afford him such a peaceful and serene atmosphere to achieve his objective.”
Okupe also said that Tinubu’s return after “this retreat” will herald a brighter future for Nigerians and bring relief and succour to the masses.