Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed concern over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s frequent foreign trips, describing them as a worrying sign of detachment from the country’s pressing challenges.
In a statement on Friday, Obi noted that the President departed Nigeria again for a holiday in France, barely six days after returning from a 15-day stay abroad for a five-day engagement. He described this as the President’s “about 10th trip to France in two years,” adding that such repeated absences raise questions about his commitment to addressing the country’s deepening crises.
Obi highlighted that nearly 79 percent of Nigerians—over 180 million people—are facing food insecurity, while the nation was recently ranked the worst place to give birth and the worst place to live globally, with the lowest life expectancy. “While the President continues to spend valuable time abroad, Nigerians are grappling with hunger, insecurity, and economic hardship. Last month alone, over 50 people were killed in attacks in Katsina, and more than 60 were kidnapped,” Obi said.
He also faulted the President for failing to visit Niger State, where 60 women and children recently died in a boat mishap. “What would it have taken the President to take a less than 30-minute trip to sympathise with grieving families before leaving again? Where is the compassion for Nigerian lives?” Obi asked.
He urged the President to prioritise leadership, sacrifice, and empathy over foreign holidays, stressing that Nigeria urgently requires investments in healthcare, education, poverty reduction, and security. “No holiday is more important than the lives of Nigerians you swore to protect. True leadership is about presence, sacrifice, and solutions. A new Nigeria is possible,” Obi concluded.
