As the May 29 handover date draws near, President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday, flew to Europe on a working visit, his team has said.
In a statement from Tinubu’s spokesman, Tunde Rahman, it was disclosed that, during the trip, the President-elect would fine-tune transition plans and policies, as he gets set to take the reins of government.
Rahman stated that he undertook the trip in company with some of his aides to concentrate on the task at hand and avoid pressure and distractions.
“During the visit, the President-elect will engage with investors and other key allies, with the goal of marketing investment opportunities in the country and his administration’s readiness to enable a business-friendly climate through policies and regulations.
“Already, meetings with multi-sectoral actors in Europe’s business community, including manufacturing, agriculture, tech, and energy, have been lined up.”
This is coming amid speculations on his destination in Europe and the exact purpose of the trip, considering that Tinubu returned to Nigeria from Europe a fortnight ago, where he had gone to rest after the keenly fought February 2023 presidential election.
Unofficial sources, including some news outlets, claimed the President-elect was going to France to see his doctors “to boost his health in preparation for May 29 swearing in.”
An APC insider was quoted as saying Tinubu went to see his doctors in France, days after undergoing tests in Lagos concerning an undisclosed medical condition.
He added that the medical trip was to enable Tinubu withstand the stress of the upcoming inauguration and other activities afterwards.
However, his media team insists he is healthy and only went on a working visit to Europe.
According to the statement by Rahman, Tinubu would convince investors of Nigeria’s readiness to do business under his leadership through partnerships that would ensure job creation and skill acquisition for the populace.
Also, Rahman said, reviving the country’s economy was a major plank of Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” campaign agenda, and the trip was part of efforts to re-establish Nigeria’s importance in global economy.
“The President-elect has hitherto promised to hit the ground running, and the visit is reflective of his commitment to the promise as he has already begun talks with global actors in the important areas of the economy and security,” he said.
Rahman also noted that the President-elect was scheduled to return in time for preparations towards his inauguration as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Monday, May 29.
