Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of jet-setting abroad while Nigeria grapples with deepening insecurity, economic collapse, and humanitarian disaster.
Obi, in a Thursday statement made available to The News Chronicle, on Thursday berated Tinubu’s latest 12-day trip to Japan and Brazil with a Dubai stopover—as excessive and ill-timed. He questioned why the President, who only recently returned from Brazil, is heading out again while citizens suffer.
“Our President must know he’s not a tourist, but the Chief Executive of a troubled nation,” Obi said. “He takes joy in travelling at the slightest invitation, often leaving days before the actual event. This shows insensitivity to our dire reality.”
The President is expected to attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama from August 20–22. Obi noted that the journey begins six days before the event, calling it a misuse of time and resources.
He contrasted Tinubu’s extended absences with the urgency required to address Nigeria’s mounting crises.
“We’re now counted among the most insecure, fragile, and hungriest nations in the world. This demands the President’s full attention not prolonged stays abroad for symbolic summits,” Obi stated.
Recalling a recent week-long visit to St. Lucia before the BRICS Summit where Nigeria participated only as an observer Obi said Tinubu’s travel patterns suggest misplaced priorities.
“Rather than flying out, the President should be visiting crisis-ridden states, engaging citizens, and demonstrating 100% effort to solve our problems,” Obi said. “Nigerians know the problems won’t be solved overnight—but they want to see real, tireless leadership.”
He called on Tinubu to cut down on international travel and focus on the “security of lives, economic stability, and food security” back home.
“This is not the time for sightseeing. Nigeria is in urgent need of leadership with presence, compassion, and sacrifice.”
