Arise Television’s Morning Show anchor, Rufai Oseni, has said President Bola Tinubu could continue running the affairs of Nigeria from France if he chooses to do so, while questioning public criticism of the President’s frequent foreign trips.
Oseni made the remarks on Tuesday while discussing Tinubu’s continued absence from Nigeria and his recent overseas engagements.
The television presenter argued that Nigerians elected Tinubu despite his pattern of spending extended periods outside the country and should therefore not be surprised by his frequent travels.
“You get what you vote for, and I don’t know why Nigerians are complaining,” Oseni said.
“President Tinubu has shown you that he’s constantly going to be away, that he is more at peace in France than any part of the world. So you voted him in.
“If at the start of the year he went for 20-something days in January, today again he has gone for 21 days plus another one week. That’s going to be about 27 days. That’s his modus operandi,” he said.
Oseni also questioned the economic value of the President’s foreign engagements, saying his concern was whether the trips had produced tangible investments for Nigeria.
“At least, if you are going to burn N37 billion on your foreign trips, like they said he burnt, how much investment came back to Nigeria?” he asked.
“I’m not talking about audio investment. I’m not talking about intention. I’m not talking about MOU. I’m talking about final investment destination. So it’s the cost-benefit ratio that I’m more concerned about,” he added.
The presenter further raised concerns about Tinubu’s absence amid the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Niger State, arguing that the incident should have prompted the President to return to Nigeria and personally lead the response.
Oseni said Tinubu could have returned “even for the sake of optics, to show that ‘I’m on ground. What is happening? Let’s lead this investigation.’”
He nevertheless acknowledged that the President could choose to continue directing government affairs from outside the country if he believed that was effective.
“But if he thinks he can direct from abroad, I mean, even the likes of his spokespeople have said he can direct from abroad. He can work anywhere. He can even run the country remotely.
“If he even deems it that it’s France that he wants to run the country from, he can go ahead. That’s what Nigerians voted for. So it’s what you voted for. I don’t think there’s any problem with that,” Oseni said.
Oseni’s remarks were made as commentary on the President’s foreign travels and the broader debate over the costs, benefits and optics of presidential overseas engagements. His statements about the financial cost and investment returns were presented as questions and commentary rather than independently established figures.
