A former spokesperson for the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation, Daniel Bwala, has stated that President Bola Tinubu can effectively govern the country from any location worldwide, regardless of the Vice President’s presence in Nigeria.
This assertion comes amidst concerns over the leadership vacuum created by the simultaneous absence of Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima from the country, News About Nigeria reports.
Tinubu attended the Special World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting, while Shettima is currently in the United States for the US-Africa Business Summit.
This has sparked questions about who is in charge of the government, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar describing the situation as “unusual” and “worrisome” given the nation’s current challenges.
Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, expressed his concerns on social media, saying, “I have been inundated by reports of the absence of the president and vice president from the country. It is unprecedented that the two leaders will be absent from the country at the same time, especially now that the nation is faced with daunting challenges. The question that readily comes to mind is who is in charge of government at this point, or is it right to assume that we are on autopilot?”
However, Bwala disagreed with Atiku’s concerns, stating that the President can govern effectively from anywhere and that Aso Villa is not a physical workspace like a block industry.
Bwala had recently announced his support for the Tinubu administration, even if it meant defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I told him today, I am committing to play my part to support your administration, and I have no apologies to anybody,” Bwala said.
“APC is a party. President Bola Tinubu is my motivation; if supporting him will take me to APC, so be it,” he stated when asked if he would defect to the APC.
It is worth noting that Bwala’s switch in allegiance from Atiku to Tinubu generated controversy, with Atiku’s media office clarifying that Bwala was a spokesperson for the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation during the 2023 polls and not a personal aide to Atiku.
