President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s meetings with opposition figures is in line with his decision to run an open government, his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake, said yesterday.
He also dismissed speculative reports on ministers list, saying when the list is ready, the President will make it available.
Wednesday’s visit to the president by former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Publicity Secretary Olisa Metuh was to commend the President for the steps he has taken so far.
He praised them for their courage and sincerity, and criticised some opposition leader who have failed to recognise the President’s effort.
On former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike’s relationship with the President, Alake said: “Wike’s case is self-explanatory. It was the tempestuous nature of the PDP internal political wrangling that caused Wike’s issue and you are all aware of that. So that one has no issues with Wike’s thing, it’s an internal affairs of the PDP.
“However if as a political party, your enemy is fighting itself, you reap whatever gain from it without lifting a finger, that’s what happened.
“Now about the PDP people that came, you know the President said that his administration is running an open door policy and he is a unifier, he is a symbol of unity of the country. So if anybody from any angle wishes to see the President and has some salient point to raise or issues or observations or even suggestion, the President opens his doors.
“So those people, Pius Anyim and Olisa Metuh came purposely to commend Mr. President. They came to commend the President for his positive policy initiatives that have put Nigeria back to the global stage and it is not just their own saying, it is not what they say they observe, we have received the same accolades and encomium from all parts of the globe.
“So it’s not restricted to the PDP people. I think we should commend them for being quite honest and sincere with their views because there are some of the opposition people who also acknowledge this very laudable initiative of Mr. President but they are too prejudiced or myopic or parochial to acknowledge it publicly, we need to commend those people for having the guts”, he said.
The President has also met at least, twice with national leader of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, among others.
On ministers list, he said: “The simple truth is that, you know, this is an executive presidency, we’re not running a parliamentary system. So the President, the bucks stops on his table, and he decides when it’s fit and proper for him to make his cabinet list.
“We are not unaware of all the speculations, and innuendos and rumours, all kinds of things in the media. Now, I as a media man, I chuckled to myself that people just want to sell, so they just fabricate.
“There is no iota of truth in all of those things. When the President is good and ready, you will be the first to know about his intentions”, he said.
The Nation
