Opinion
Seyi Tinubu And Nigeria’s Presidential Aircraft
Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Tinubu, on Sunday, October 8, 2023, flew to Kano in a presidential jet to watch the finals of the Kano International Polo Tournament.
If my memory serves me right, Nigerians went to the poll to vote for President Tinubu in the presidential election of 2023.
By that election, it is clear that Nigeria operates a presidential system of government that is backed by the 1999 Constitution, as amended, albeit the flaws inherent in the constitution.
There’s a trending factual story that the son of president Tinubu, Seyi Tinubu, visited Kano state aboard the presidential jet. This set me wondering.
Is Nigeria, under president Tinubu, running a monarchy government, backed by the Nigerian constitution? As our elders say, “When a goat puts on the skin of the leopard, it transforms into a leopard.” For President Tinubu, the seal, coat of arms of Nigeria’s presidency are hallowed, sacred symbolic official crest that represents the authority and integrity of the presidency.
I sincerely believe that president Tinubu is not aware of the rascality escapades of Seyi with the nation’s presidential jet. I hold and put the blame of this act of rascality on the managers of the presidential fleet, the captain of the aircraft and other protocol officials in the presidency. I hope president Tinubu will look into this with a view to stop a recurrence in future.
Seyi Tinubu should restrain himself to the family unit of the president and not trivialise the serious business of governance, by junketing on his merry-go-round social visits with the hard earned revenue of Nigerian tax payers, especially not at this austere period of Nigerians suffering from the removal of fuel subsidy induced hardship. Seyi should know that Nigerians did not vote for him but for president Tinubu.
By the way, is Seyi a special envoy of president Tinubu to represent him at an event in Kano state? Has Seyi become one of the president’s appointed special adviser or cabinet member? Why did Seyi not use one of his father’s private jets? Recall that former president Buhari’s daughter used the presidential aircraft. This is a gross abuse of presidential powers and a culture of impunity.
President Tinubu should holistically look into this development. If this is not checked, the next news that will be trending will be that Seyi visited his friends in the official presidential car of the president, with full compliments of official military outriders and paraphernalia of Nigeria’s presidency.
Also, presidency officials must not allow themselves to be pressured and used as tools for frivolities but must be guided by the extant rules of their job description as staff of the presidency.
Respect, integrity and honour must be given to all instruments that bears the crest and symbolic image of Nigeria’s presidency. This is the practise all over the world where constitutional government is practised.