BREAKING NEWS: Travel restriction not reason Tinubu didn’t go to US for UNGA – Omokri
Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has said travel restrictions are not the reason President Bola Tinubu didn’t travel to partake in the UNGA in the US.
According to him, no economic benefit was brought to Nigeria when former President Muhammadu Buhari attended the event eight times.
Omokri made this statement on Facebook to dismiss claims that Tinubu intentionally avoided the event because it was held in the US, stressing that Tinubu had attended the same event in 2023 in the US.
He said, “Much Ado About President Tinubu Not Attending UNGA
“People criticising President Tinubu for not attending the United Nations General Assembly have pliable minds that are easily manipulated. General Buhari attended each UNGA for the eight years he was President. Of what benefit was his attendance to Nigeria?
“Under Buhari, Nigeria’s economy went from being the third fastest growing economy in the world, with a GDP of $510 billion in 2014, to one of the world’s most sluggish economies in 2023 when Buhari handed over to President Tinubu with a GDP of $187.76 billion.
“Can any of those criticising President Tinubu tell Nigerians precisely one economic benefit of General Buhari’s eight hugely expensive UNGA visits to the nation?
“President Bola Tinubu attended the 78th United Nations General Assembly in 2023. I attach his photograph at that UNGA here for those with short memories. He has absolutely no restrictions on his travels to the United States, as some critics mischievously allege.
“But the man is a Cum Laude (First Class) accountant who has done a Cost-Benefit Analysis on Nigeria’s UNGA attendance.
A Presidential attendance at the UNGA can cost Nigeria as much as $10-20 million. Meanwhile, what are we getting out of it? If you do a Dollar Cost Averaging analysis of the costs and financial impact of a Presidential attendance at UNGA, it is a liability in accounting terms.
“China’s Xi Jinping hardly attends the United Nations General Assembly. The last time he attended was the 76th UNGA in 2021. In 2025, he will be represented by his deputy, Li Qianq. The Chinese are not making a big fuss about it. Their economy is growing faster than almost every other economy on Earth.
“So why are we making a big deal about Vice President Kashim Shettima representing President Tinubu at the 80th UNGA?
Nigeria needs investments, not talk shops. And where financial investments could be attracted to Nigeria at a summit, President Tinubu has personally and dutifully attended.
“He attended the BRICS Summit in Brazil in July of this year and returned with a $2.5 billion investment in Nigeria by Brazilian meat producer JBS.
“Such visits are why, in less than two years, President Tinubu added $67 billion to Nigeria’s GDP, moving us from a ₦269.29 trillion economy on May 29, 2023, when he became President, to ₦372.8 trillion today.
“No government in Nigeria’s history has expanded the country’s economy by 25% in just two years.
“So again, I ask his critics to please enumerate the tangible benefits to Nigeria from the eight United Nations General Assemblies that General Buhari attended at a heavy financial cost to Nigeria.”