*Presidency says Atiku’s comments on president reckless, cheap politics
*Insists Tinubu’s foreign trips are to boost economic recovery
Aso Rock has described as reckless the comments by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar accusing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of fiddling amidst some security and economic challenges Nigeria facing.
The comment came as Tinubu continues his private visit to France from where he is expected back to the country later in the week.
A press statement Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, recalled that Atiku’s latest comment came days after “he made an equally reckless allegation against the President on the crude for loan deal for NNPC Limited”.
atiku had cautioned Tinubu to slow down on psrticulsrly private oversea visits, stressing that such not only strains the nation’s scarce foreign exchange as well as impedes governance.
Pointing out that the latest comment from the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fell short of what is expected of an elder statesman, Onanuga declared that “we like to believe that Alhaji Atiku is still not nursing hangover of his electoral defeat and now latches on any issue to attack President Tinubu.
The presidential aide insisted that Tinubu has actually been on top of economic and security issues as they unfold back home while in France.
According to Onanuga: “President Tinubu did not travel without informing Nigerians of his whereabout. He announced a private visit to France and announced a return date.
“While in France, President Tinubu has been following developments at home and he is on top of the situation in the country.
“Today’s inauguration of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum wage bore his imprimatur.
“He is in constant touch with his officials and security chiefs and has directed them to stamp out every form of criminality in the country.
“He has particularly ordered them to apprehend those criminals responsible for the murder of two monarchs in Ekiti State and the kidnapping of some pupils in the state.
“We are already seeing results with the arrest of over 139 kidnappers around Abuja, Kaduna and Benue States in the last one week.
“The police Special Intervention Squad (SIS) and DSS have also rescued 154 abducted persons in the last few days.
“Just last week President Tinubu approved N50billion as Special Fund to address some of the lingering security challenges in North-East where Alhaji Atiku hails from.
“To cope with the kidnapping challenges in the FCT, President Tinubu also approved funds for the acquisition of equipment to track criminals.
“If Alhaji Atiku is really concerned about security issues and not playing cheap politics, he should have known that President Tinubu is on top of issues and working hard to restore peace to every part of our country.
“Our security agencies are working very hard to bring the security situation under control. President Tinubu is giving them all the necessary support they need to win the battle against criminal elements and secure every inch of our country,” Onanuga said.
