Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has taken aim at President Bola Tinubu over his constant foreign travels, accusing him of neglecting Nigerians at a time of deep national hardship. Obi’s remarks came after Tinubu departed for another trip to Europe—reportedly his tenth visit to France in just two years—barely six days after returning from a previous engagement.
In a strongly worded statement, Obi contrasted the president’s travels with the grim realities at home. He pointed out that over 79% of Nigerians—about 180 million people—are suffering from food insecurity, while the country was recently ranked the worst place to give birth, live, and grow old.
Obi also highlighted recent tragedies, including bandit attacks in Katsina that left more than 50 people dead and 60 kidnapped, as well as a boat accident in Niger State that claimed 60 lives. He questioned why Tinubu had not visited the grieving families before leaving on holiday, calling it a failure of compassion and leadership.
“From all indications, our President is not finding his home in Nigeria conducive for a long stay,” Obi wrote. “No holiday is more important than the Nigerian lives you swore to protect.”
He urged the government to put the nation’s priorities first by investing in healthcare, education, security, and poverty reduction instead of giving the impression that the president is “running away from Nigeria at every slight opportunity.”
