Former presidential aide Reuben Abati has described as “quite embarrassing” the criticism by African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s three-week working vacation in Europe.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, Abati said questions being raised by the Atiku camp over the President’s absence from Nigeria appeared poorly researched.
His comments followed concerns over Tinubu’s decision to spend three weeks outside the country on what the Presidency described as a working vacation.
Atiku, in a statement on Sunday, criticised the President’s absence, arguing that it had created what he described as a disturbing vacuum in political leadership amid widespread economic hardship.
However, Abati defended Tinubu’s decision to travel, arguing that the President was entitled to leave the country provided his absence did not exceed the constitutional period that would require him to formally transfer power.
“The Atiku group is also raising questions that are embarrassing and have not been properly researched,” Abati said.
He added that Tinubu was entitled to embark on the three-week working vacation and could travel wherever he wished, subject to constitutional provisions governing presidential absence from the country.
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