Peter Obi Critiques Tinubu and Shettima’s Overseas Trips Amid Domestic Challenges
Abuja, Nigeria – Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate during the 2023 general elections, has expressed concerns regarding the recent international travels of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. Obi highlighted that both leaders’ absence from Nigeria during a period marked by significant domestic issues raises alarms.
Reports indicate that President Tinubu departed for the United Kingdom on October 2, 2024, for a two-week working leave, later traveling to France on October 11 for what his Senior Special Assistant on Political and Other Matters, Ibrahim Masari, described as an “important engagement.” Concurrently, Vice President Shettima left Abuja for Sweden on Wednesday for a brief two-day visit to engage in bilateral discussions.
In defense of their travels, the Presidency insisted on Wednesday that the absence of both the President and Vice President does not create a leadership void in Nigeria. They asserted that the two officials remain fully occupied with national matters, even while abroad.
In a response shared on his social media platform X, Peter Obi, who formerly served as governor of Anambra State, remarked that it is troubling for the nation’s leadership to be absent at a time when citizens are facing significant challenges. He stated, “While it can be argued that there is no actual vacancy in the Presidency with the leaders abroad, it is concerning for a nation grappling with numerous domestic issues.”
Obi noted that the President had committed to a 14-day absence, which has already elapsed, urging for his earlier return in light of the urgent work required to navigate the nation through its current crises. He lamented the severe hardships affecting the populace, attributing them to some policies implemented by the administration.
He pointed out the proximity of Paris, where the President is reportedly located, to Stockholm, Sweden, questioning why Tinubu could not have attended the Swedish engagement. “With the President in Paris, merely 833 nautical miles away from Stockholm, it would have been feasible for him to join the meeting during his return journey from France, perhaps utilizing his new jet, which could have made the trip in just over two hours,” Obi suggested.
“In contrast, the Vice President’s route from Abuja to Stockholm spans 3,055 nautical miles and takes more than nine hours,” Obi continued. He criticized this inefficiency, stating, “This choice reflects a lack of fiscal responsibility and practicality expected from leaders at a time when the populace is facing extreme hunger and poverty.”
He emphasized that this is a critical moment for leadership to prioritize the welfare of citizens and ensure prudent management of the nation’s resources to alleviate the suffering experienced by the people.
The trips represent the second instance since they took office 17 months ago where both Tinubu and Shettima have been absent from Nigeria simultaneously. Earlier this year, during a period from late April to early May 2024, President Tinubu visited London, the Netherlands, and Saudi Arabia for the World Economic Forum, while the Vice President attended the International Development Association Heads of State Summit in Nairobi before heading to a US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas. Shettima eventually cut his trip short and returned to Nigeria, while Tinubu returned on May 8.
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