Dare Babalola
A former presidential aide and social commentator, Reno Omokri, has come to the defense of President Bola Tinubu over criticism surrounding his absence from the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Omokri, in a post made via his verified X account on Tuesday, argued that Tinubu’s decision is based on a cost-benefit analysis, considering the high financial cost of attending the event.
According to Omokri, a presidential attendance at the UNGA can cost Nigeria between $10-20 million, with little tangible benefits to show for it.
He cited the example of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year attendance at the UNGA, which he claims did not yield significant economic benefits for Nigeria.
Omokri pointed out that during Buhari’s administration, Nigeria’s economy suffered, with the GDP plummeting from $510 billion in 2014 to $187.76 billion in 2023.
In contrast, Omokri said, “President Tinubu has added $67 billion to Nigeria’s GDP in less than two years, expanding the country’s economy by 25%.”
Omokri also drew parallels with China, whose leader, Xi Jinping, rarely attends the UNGA, yet the country’s economy continues to grow rapidly.
He questioned the critics to enumerate the tangible benefits of Buhari’s UNGA attendance, emphasizing that Nigeria needs investments, not “talk shops.”
He wrote, “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.”
