The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his latest foreign trip, accusing him of neglecting Nigeria’s worsening socio-economic and security crises.
Obi in a statement via his X account, expressed deep concern over what he described as the President’s “insensitivity” to the nation’s challenges, particularly at a time when Nigerians are grappling with unprecedented insecurity, economic hardship, and hunger.
TheNewsGuru.com(TNG) reports that President Tinubu is scheduled to depart Abuja today for a two-nation trip to Japan and Brazil, with a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In Japan, he will attend the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama from August 20 to 22.
Obi questioned the necessity of the trip’s length, pointing out that Tinubu had recently visited Brazil and met with the country’s president. “How can anyone explain that a President who came from Brazil recently… is returning to the same country, leaving the various degrees of challenges at home unresolved?” Obi asked.
He further accused Tinubu of prioritising foreign travel over domestic engagement, noting that the President has yet to visit Nigeria’s troubled states. “Our President… takes joy in travelling to foreign countries at the slightest invitation or excuse,” Obi said, adding that the President often departs several days before events, unlike other leaders who arrive just before the start.
Citing a recent example, Obi recalled that Tinubu embarked on a one-week state visit to St. Lucia before attending the BRICS Summit where Nigeria was only present as an observer while leaders of member nations arrived closer to the event date.
The former Anambra State governor warned that Nigeria’s current condition demands the President’s full presence. “Nigeria today demands competent leadership with capacity and compassion… not prolonged, unnecessary absences from a country that requires 24/7 attention,” he stated.
Obi argued that the 12-day trip could have been condensed to five days since the Japan conference begins on August 20. He urged Tinubu to begin domestic tours with the same enthusiasm he shows for international travel, engaging directly with communities to understand and address their plight.
“Mr. President must know that he’s not a tourist, but the Chief Executive of a troubled nation,” Obi stressed. “He must have strict work schedules and travel plans that reflect the urgency of our situation.”