Former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, criticised President Bola Tinubu’s viewpoint on bribe-seeking officials within government, stating that the president’s primary task is to uphold Nigeria’s reputation, not degrade it.
Naija News reports that during a meeting in Qatar, Tinubu urged investors to report any Nigerian official soliciting bribes, emphasising the country’s commitment to eliminating all barriers to investment.
Osita, speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Sunday, described Tinubu’s comments as “unfortunate.”
He emphasised the need for the president to promote Nigeria positively and suggested a lack of effective communication from government agencies as a contributing factor.
Osita proposed a pro-investment theme and highlighted the importance of portraying Nigeria in a positive light, focusing on its democratic stability and growth rather than bribery and corruption allegations.
He advocated for reporting such incidents to appropriate government agencies rather than discussing them publicly.
Osita said: “It was an unfortunate statement. I was shocked and embarrassed that he was continuing Buhari’s type of de-marketing of Nigeria.
“There are many Nigerians who will not ask for a bribe or disturb people. The people who will probably ask you for a bribe are in the minority. The job of the president is to sell Nigeria, to be the chief spokesperson and chief salesperson of Nigeria.
“I think this is the lacuna that comes when there is a poor briefing from the agencies of government. I don’t really blame the president. I blame the inability of people like the Minister of Information and Foreign Affairs for the theme of the government.
“The government has to have a theme like we are pro-investment; we want to attract foreign exchange.
“Our mission is to deodorise Nigeria, to tell a good story about Nigeria, to tell Africa’s rising narrative, and to say that this change of government is a new mandate that tells you how Nigeria has been able to sustain democracy for 24 going to 25 years now.
“So the story about Nigeria is not a story of bribery and corruption. And we don’t want a president who people are calling from Qatar to report a bribe. They should report them to the police, EFCC, ICPC, or any other office of government that deals with that.“
The post ‘Stop De-Marketing Nigeria’, Ex-Minister Condemns Tinubu’s Comments On Bribe-Seeking Officials appeared first on Naija News.