Former Presidential spokesperson Dr. Doyin Okupe has come to the defense of President Bola Tinubu, stating that criticisms regarding the President’s two-week holiday in the United Kingdom are largely uninformed.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos, Okupe addressed the backlash against Tinubu’s decision to travel abroad rather than remain in the country during a time of national challenges. He suggested that the President’s trip was a strategic move to allow him the necessary space for reflection and planning.
Okupe, who previously served as the Director-General of Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign, expressed that the criticisms stem from a misunderstanding of presidential duties during crises. He stated, “I have read many uninformed criticisms of the President’s holiday trip abroad. Personally, 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.”
He further noted that the tranquil environment of the UK provides the President with an opportunity to avoid distractions and focus on restructuring his cabinet. Okupe is optimistic that upon returning from this retreat, Tinubu will bring good news and solutions for the challenges facing Nigerians.
The President departed Abuja for the UK on October 2. According to a statement from Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the trip is characterized as both a working vacation and a retreat aimed at reflecting on the administration’s economic reforms. This marks the first leave Tinubu has taken since assuming office in May 2023, despite his participation in several foreign trips since then.