Politics
Obi slams Tinubu over frequent foreign trips as hardship, insecurity deepen
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has taken aim at President Bola Tinubu for his frequent foreign travels, accusing him of neglecting Nigerians at a time of worsening economic hardship and rising insecurity.
In a strongly worded statement on Friday, Obi criticised Tinubu for leaving the country for another 10-day working vacation in Europe, barely six days after returning from a 15-day foreign engagement. The President’s latest trip, according to the State House, will take him to France and the United Kingdom as part of his annual leave.
“It does look like Mr. President is running away from Nigeria at every slight opportunity,” Obi said, questioning why so much of Tinubu’s two-year tenure has been spent abroad.
The former Anambra governor said Nigerians deserved a president who would stay at home to address mounting crises, noting that 79% of citizens, over 180 million people, face food insecurity, while the country was recently ranked the worst place to give birth and one of the least livable globally.
Obi also faulted Tinubu’s failure to visit victims of recent tragedies, including the killing of more than 50 people in Katsina State during mosque and village attacks and the death of about 60 people in a Niger State boat mishap.
“What would it have taken the president to take a less than 30-minute trip to Niger State from Abuja in his jet? Mr. President could have at least visited the grieving families before jetting off again,” Obi said.
He stressed that no holiday was more important than the lives of Nigerians, adding: “At a time when Nigerians need leadership, empathy and presence, a President should not choose foreign holidays. True leadership is about sacrifice.”
Tinubu’s latest trip is about have a 10th visit to France since taking office on May 29, 2023, making the country his most visited destination for official and private engagements.
By April 2025, Tinubu had spent at least 59 days across eight separate trips to France. These included an 18-day working visit in April 2025, a two-week UK vacation in October 2024 that extended to France, and a state visit in November 2024 at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.
Earlier visits include a seven-day stopover in February 2025 before the African Union summit in Ethiopia, a four-day trip in August 2024, and a 14-day private stay in January 2024. Tinubu also visited Paris multiple times as president-elect before his inauguration.
Critics argue that the cost and frequency of these trips raise questions about priorities and transparency, given the security challenges and economic crises facing the country.
Obi ended his statement with a call for responsible governance, saying: “A new Nigeria is possible.”
