Rhodes-Vivour: ‘Utterly Disgraceful’ That Ribadu, Musa Have been Sipping Tea In UK Regardless of Maiduguri Bombings
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, a senior chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (ADC), has criticised the Nigerian authorities for what he described as insensitivity and misplaced priorities, highlighting a stark distinction between abroad diplomacy and home safety crises.
Talking throughout an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday relating to President Bola Tinubu’s go to to the UK and the individuals who accompanied him on the journey, he stated, “In relation to the journey to England, the factor that jumps out at me is how the NSA and the defence boss had been there in England, sipping tea, most certainly, in Buckingham Palace or wherever, whereas bombs had been going off in Maiduguri. I can not reconcile that. And with the historical past of issues and the way issues had been earlier than Donald Trump even began speaking about security and terrorism and Christian genocide, I can not reconcile the insensitivity and the carelessness of this authorities.
“I bear in mind they had been speaking about Goodluck Jonathan earlier than they got here in, the way it was “Carry Again Our Women” and all that. However take a look at what is going on. I’m seeing individuals sipping tea in England. I believe that’s utterly disgraceful.”
Rhodes-Vivour additionally weighed in on the broader implications of worldwide agreements signed through the UK go to. Whereas he acknowledged the significance of commerce and overseas funding, he cautioned in opposition to offers that will prioritise headlines over long-term improvement. Citing an instance, he questioned the worth of loans for port repairs that require importing metal from England quite than boosting home metal production.
He stated, “In relation to offers that they signed, worldwide enterprise, worldwide commerce is essential for each nation. However each nation also needs to have this imaginative and prescient to ensure that they get the higher finish of the deal.
“I’m not fairly certain that we obtained the higher finish of the deal if we’re okay, you get a mortgage to restore your ports after which it’s important to purchase metal from England, once we ought to take into consideration how we are able to energise our personal metal manufacturing. And this comes with imaginative and prescient and management and a much bigger imaginative and prescient for productiveness within the nation, which sadly is missing.
“It’s not nearly bringing cash. What’s the improvement influence in your nation? And I believe that’s an essential issue. It shouldn’t simply be about headlines. There’s much more that drives improvement within the nation.”
Melissa Enoch
Times Nigeria