Show of Shame: Nigerians knock Tinubu over red carpet reception by ex-governors at airports
By Fatai Ahmed
Nigerians have taken to Twitter, the micro-blogging platform, to criticise President Bola Tinubu and some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for what described as shameful, endless red carpet receptions at airports.
On July 7, Tinubu departed Nigeria for the 63rd ordinary session of the authority of heads of state and government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in Guinea-Bissau.
At the airport were top government officials and ex-governors, including Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s chief of staff; Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor of Kano; Mohammed Badaru, former governor of Jigawa; and Abubakar Bagudu, former governor of Kebbi.
On his arrival at Aeroporto international airport in Guinea-Bissau on Saturday, Ganduje, Badaru and Bagudu, including Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser, were again part of the welcome party on the tarmac.
Back in Nigeria on Monday, the president was once again received by an all-smiling cast of former governors, who had been present during his departure to Bissau.
The never-ending rollout of the red carpet, and the beeline of politicians at the airport as the president departs or returns, has got some Nigerians on social media talking.
“What is with the welcome party and line up for handshake every time the president travels and comes back? These people don’t have work to do?,” one Twitter user wrote as the president returned from Bissau.
“This is shameful and does not portray Tinubu’s government as serious in changing the face of governance in the country”, another Nigerian tweeted.
