Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has sharply criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of spending excessive time abroad while Nigeria grapples with mounting crises.

Obi’s remarks followed news of Tinubu’s departure today for a 12-day, two-nation trip—first to Dubai, then Japan for the’Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) from August 20 to 22—before proceeding to Brazil. The presidency has yet to confirm his return date.

In a statement posted on X, titled “Again, Our President Moves as the Nation Bleeds”, Obi said Tinubu had already spent more than 200 of his 806 days in office outside the country.

“Mr. President is not a tourist. He is the Chief Executive of a troubled nation, and his duty is here, not in endless foreign conferences that add little or no value to our people,” Obi declared.

The former Anambra governor questioned the urgency of the trip, noting it comes only weeks after Tinubu’s last visit to Brazil.

He also criticised the president’s extended stays abroad, citing his week-long visit to St. Lucia ahead of the BRICS Summit as unnecessary.

“Actual BRICS leaders arrived just a day or two before the summit. Why was our President gone so long?” Obi asked, arguing that the current trip “could have been wrapped up in five days.”

Obi stressed that the country is facing record levels of insecurity, economic hardship, and hunger, urging Tinubu to prioritise domestic engagement over foreign travel.

“Nigerians know we can’t fix all our problems overnight. But they need to see their leader fully present, fully engaged, and fully committed. We are a country on fire. The President must act like the firefighter-in-chief, not a globe-trotting dignitary,” he said.

He advised that, instead of frequent international trips, Tinubu should visit Nigeria’s most distressed states, meet directly with affected communities, and address their concerns urgently. (The Guardian)