The Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday criticized President Bola Tinubu for awarding Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Nigeria’s second-highest national honor, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Nigeria, during his state visit.
In a conversation with The PUNCH, PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, described the conferment as a “misplaced priority.”
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress defended the President’s decision, with its Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, asserting that Tinubu’s action was well within precedent and his constitutional rights.
The award ceremony took place during the Nigeria-India Bilateral meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. President Tinubu justified the honor, citing India’s contributions to Nigeria’s development and their robust bilateral relationship.
“Nigeria values its excellent relationship with India. We work to deepen and broaden the same to the mutual benefit of our two friendly countries. You have been doing a good job historically. Winning three consecutive elections in a complex society is a feat that we respect so much,” Tinubu remarked.
He added, “I will confer on you today, the Prime Minister of India, Nigeria’s national honor, the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger. This to signify Nigerian appreciation and commitment to India as a partner.”
Modi reciprocated the gesture by expressing condolences for the recent floods in Nigeria, including in Maiduguri, Borno State. He also pledged to support Nigeria with 20 tonnes of relief materials.
The PM said, “We had a very productive discussion with President Tinubu. We talked about adding momentum to our strategic partnership. There is immense scope for ties to flourish even further in sectors like defence, energy, technology, trade, health, education and more.”
The PDP, however, expressed disappointment, questioning the basis for such an honor. Osadolor emphasized that while the President has the prerogative to confer national honors, there should be clear criteria for recipients.
“It is not something you dish out for the sake of friendship and all of that. I don’t know what the Indian Prime Minister has done to have warranted such an honor. But this is the second highest honor in the land. It is a misplacement of priorities,” he said.
Osadolor argued that Tinubu should have focused on learning from India’s economic success, pointing to the transformation of India from the “poverty capital of the world” to one of the fastest-growing global economies.
He said, “The biggest tech moguls across the globe at the moment are all Indians. Just look at Microsoft, the Silicon Valley in America, and startups. They are all being run and set up by Indians. I would have thought that Tinubu, in a bid to shore up the lacuna his cabinet lacks, would have been humble enough to ask the Prime Minister to offer him a clue as to how to help his government and Nigerians. Not dishing out unnecessary awards that the man doesn’t need other than for pictures and commentary.”
Continuing his critique, Osadolor accused the administration of prioritizing “media gimmicks” over substantive governance.
“Tinubu is not serious. He should leave out frivolities for bigger issues. Now that the Indian Prime Minister has taken it upon himself to visit Africa, yes, we have a significant and sizeable Indian community in Nigeria. But to what end can we maximize and leverage these businesses?” he asked.
He added, “Are we asking the right questions, seeking the right investments, and pushing for the right policies? But the distraction from this administration is becoming one too many. I think President Tinubu should wake up from these media gimmicks and focus on the real issues. Nigerians are hungry and dying. The technologies the Indians are currently deploying globally will help a great deal to solve most of these basic challenges.”
In response, APC’s Nze Chidi Duru defended Tinubu’s decision and urged the opposition to focus on constructive criticism.
“I think the question to ask is whether there is a precedent in this. Then the next question is if it is within the confines of the power of Mr. President to confer such an award. If it is, is the process approved? Once all these questions are answered in the affirmative, it then becomes the discretion of Mr. President to confer such honorary award on whom he pleases,” Duru explained.
He continued, “It is also important to underscore the fact that we will need to go beyond the politics of emotions to begin to address the issue. So, the PDP is more than welcome to continue to play the role of opposition, which is admirable. However, we like to see a situation whereby what they put on the table is, with respect, how we can make Nigeria a lot better and more improved.”
Duru emphasized that the opposition should focus on key issues like creating jobs, improving business conditions, and addressing poverty.
Meanwhile, United States-based Nigerian security expert Dr. Sylvester Okere highlighted the importance of the Indian-Nigerian partnership in security and development. Okere, who is set to speak at the 19th Security Leadership Summit in New Delhi later this month, described Modi’s visit as timely.
“This visit to Nigeria by the Indian Prime Minister will pave the way for high-level discussions between the two Presidents, focusing on strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, technology, energy, and education,” Okere said.
CAPSI, the organising body for the summit, is known for its collaborations with global security organizations and aims to facilitate security training and job placements for youth worldwide.
The visit, coupled with ongoing discussions, is expected to strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations and foster partnerships across multiple sectors.
