As President Bola Tinubu approaches his first anniversary in office, a surprising contradiction has emerged between his spokesmen, Bayo Onanuga and Ajuri Ngelale, regarding the nature of his address on this milestone.
President Tinubu, who was sworn in on May 29, 2023, will complete one year in office on Wednesday. However, conflicting statements from his spokesmen have caused confusion about how the president will mark the occasion.
Bayo Onanuga announced that President Tinubu would not deliver a nationwide broadcast but would instead address a joint session of the National Assembly. Onanuga stated, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not make a broadcast to the nation on Wednesday to celebrate his first anniversary as the leader of Nigeria. Instead, the President will address a joint session of the National Assembly, which has lined up a programme to commemorate 25 years of the nation’s democratic journey at both the executive and legislative levels.”
Onanuga further detailed that the president’s speech would focus on his administration’s achievements and the progress of Nigeria’s democracy since the transition from military rule in 1999.
He also mentioned that prominent figures such as former Senate President David Mark, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and current Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, and former military ruler General Abdulsalami Abubakar would also address the parliament.
Following the speeches, President Tinubu was expected to commission the National Assembly Library and Resource Center, now named the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Building.
Contradicting Onanuga’s statement, Ajuri Ngelale issued a clarification that the information about the president addressing the National Assembly was false and unauthorized. Ngelale asserted, “In view of public commentary concerning the President delivering a speech before a Joint Sitting of the National Assembly tomorrow, May 29, 2024, it is important to state that this information is false and unauthorized as the Office of the President was not involved in the planning of the event.”
The conflicting messages from Onanuga and Ngelale have left the public and media puzzled about the president’s actual plans for his first anniversary in office. The reason for the contradictory accounts remains unclear, raising questions about communication and coordination within the presidential team.
As Nigerians await clarity, the incident underscores the importance of coherent and unified messaging from the President’s Office, especially regarding significant events that capture national attention.
(DailyTrust)
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