The camp of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said there is nothing landmark about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s deal at the G20 summit in India and afterwards with the UAE.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Atiku’s Spokesperson, Daniel Bwala, in a statement on Tuesday, said the lifting of the visa ban on Nigerian travellers by the UAE is not a landmark achievement.
Bwala said the visa ban was imposed by the UAE due to the non-payment of funds belonging to the emirate by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He said Tinubu’s promise to pay back the funds does not make the deal landmark.
Bwala also said the lifting of the visa ban does not translate to foreign investment, as the UAE prides itself in attracting investments into their country but not in investing in foreign lands.
He said the so-called landmark deal is to the benefit of the UAE, which continues to receive illicit monies and investments by alleged Nigerian corrupt public officers.
Bwala also said there is no mention of the deal on the UAE government website or in any government public statement issued by the UAE. He said this is because the UAE does not want to commit until Nigeria fulfills its promise to repatriate the emirate’s money.
He therefore urged Nigerians not to be carried away by photo-ops, handshakes, and statements until they see timelines and deliverables. He said the government should focus on addressing the problems confronting the country, such as multi-dimensional poverty, corruption, healthcare, education, insecurity, and state-sponsored threats.
Bwala wrote on social media:
“THERE IS NOTHING LANDMARK ABOUT INDIA AND DUBAI DEAL
I am an optimist, but there is nothing landmark about the lift of the ban on visa and travel restrictions . Firstly, the flight ban was occasioned by Nigerias’ CBN non payment of funds belonging to emirate. PBAT promised to pay back. Visa restrictions was occasioned by Nigerians increased crime rate in the UAE
Secondly, whilst the lift of travel is okay, but it does not translate to foreign investment, as UAE prides itself in attracting investments into their country but not in UAE investing in foreign lands, so expect nothing from UAE in Nigeria. The so-called landmark deal is to the benefit of UAE that continues to receive illicit monies and investments by alleged Nigerias’ corrupt public officers into the UAE. What we need is strengthening of the mutual legal assistance agreement for repatriation of stolen funds belonging to the government of Nigeria in the UAE
Thirdly, there is nowhere in any UAE government website or government public statement issued by UAE you will find what spokesman to PBAT issued about the so-called landmark deal; do you know why? Because UAE does not want to commit until Nigeria fulfills her promise to repatriate emirate’s money to UAE
Lastly, do not be carried away by any photo-ops, handshakes and statements until you see timelines and deliverables. We have seen the movie before in the last administration with Siemens, Mambila power project etc. They are all over the media saying they have attracted billions of dollars from India, even when non of those investors published on their website or in any Indian local news outlets of the said investment plans. YOU CAMPAIGN IN POETRY AND GOVERN IN PROS. You don’t govern in poetry my friends.
Come back to NIgeria and address the problems confronting us to wit, multi-dimensional poverty, corruption, healthcare, education, insecurity, state sponsored threats, crisis of legitimacy etc.”
Recall that on Monday, Bwala had previously mocked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his invitation to attend the G20 summit in India.
He said that the G20 had a “global picnic” and that Nigeria’s president was invited to “watch brief and see the importance of picnic.”
Bwala said the G20 meeting was a waste of time and that Nigeria would not see any benefits from it unless the government reforms its laws, allows the private sector to thrive, breaks the backbone of corruption, and provokes national consciousness and patriotic action.”
Recall that on Monday, Bwala had mocked Tinubu’s invitation to attend the G20 summit in India, saying it was a waste of time and that Nigeria would not see any benefits from it unless the government reforms its laws, allows the private sector to thrive, breaks the backbone of corruption, and provokes national consciousness and patriotic action.
