There were two reasons why President Tinubu undertook the UK visit. Both reasons were in Tinubu's personal interest; very little to do with the economic development of Nigeria.
Firstly, with reports of widespread and growing insecurity, the increased poverty rate and the disenchantment of majority of Nigerians with his government,
Tinubu's popularity was at an all-time low. A credible opinion poll would have given him an approval rating of no more than 20%. The visit to England was meant to create the impression that the international community represented by Great Britain appreciated him even if he was despised at home in Nigeria.
Secondly, the £746 million export finance loan supposedly secured for Nigeria was in fact a loan to President Tinubu himself because contrary to public knowledge, Albert Chagoury ; the man whose company would execute the £ 746 million rehabilitation of Nigerian ports and Bola Ahmed Tinubu are opposite sides of the same coin.
This is why Tinubu has awarded over 12.7 billion dollars (about 19 Trillion naira) worth of Federal government contracts to Gilbert Chagoury's group of companies . These contracts include Hitech Construction ; The Lagos -Calabar Coastal Highway : 11 billion dollars, ITB Nigeria : Tin Can and Apapa ports renovation ; 700 million dollars, ITB Construction Nigeria ; Snake Island Container Terminal Renovation: 1 billion dollars. And in March 2026 upon arrival from his UK visit, Tinubu again awarded his newly secured loan of 746 million pounds to his friend and partner Albert Chagoury.
In essence therefore, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is guilty, not only of profound misrule and bad governance but also of economic fraud. He has perfected the act of embezzling public funds. Instead of passing money to Chagoury to launder for him as Abacha did, he awards contracts to Chagoury, using Chagoury's group of companies as proxy. His son Seyi Tinubu sits on the board to assure that the Tinubu family interest is protected.
In 1991, Bola Ahmed pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in America and forfeited 460,000 dollars to the American government in order to avoid going to jail. Today as Nigeria's President he has gone back to his criminal ways. As the saying goes ' old habits die hard'. He continues to launder money, this time using Albert Chagoury his partner in crime to front for him. Here is an unforgivable crime against the nation. Anyone with this much defect in character is not fit for public office, let alone the Presidency of a country. Every Nigerian of goodwill must make it a duty to ensure his ouster in 2027!
Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, PhD. Public Affairs Analyst. Member Board of Governors, The People's Democratic Institute, PDI
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