Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has defended President Bola Tinubu's decision not to attend the ongoing 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, describing critics of the president's absence as having "pliable minds that are easily manipulated."

The 80th UNGA session, which commenced on September 9 in New York, has been proceeding without Nigeria's president in attendance, sparking criticism from various quarters.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) titled "Much Ado About President Tinubu Not Attending UNGA," Omokri argued that the international event offers minimal economic benefits to Nigeria while incurring significant costs.

"A Presidential attendance at the UNGA can cost Nigeria as much as $10-20 million. Meanwhile, what are we getting out of it? If you do a Dollar Cost Averaging analysis of the costs and financial impact of a Presidential attendance at UNGA, it is a liability in accounting terms," Omokri stated.

The sociopolitical critic drew comparisons to former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, noting that despite Buhari's consistent attendance at eight consecutive UNGA sessions, Nigeria's economy significantly declined during his tenure.

"Under Buhari, Nigeria's economy went from being the third fastest growing economy in the world, with a GDP of $510 billion in 2014, to one of the world's most sluggish economies in 2023 when Buhari handed over to President Tinubu with a GDP of $187.76 billion," Omokri pointed out.

He challenged critics to identify any concrete economic benefits that resulted from Buhari's eight UNGA appearances, which he described as "hugely expensive."

Omokri also dismissed allegations that Tinubu faces travel restrictions to the United States, reminding critics that the president attended the 78th UNGA session in 2023. He characterized Tinubu as "a Cum Laude (First Class) accountant who has done a Cost-Benefit Analysis on Nigeria's UNGA attendance."

The debate over presidential attendance at international forums comes as Nigeria continues to face significant economic challenges, with many questioning the value of high-cost diplomatic engagements versus domestic priorities.

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