Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has criticized President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for their recent foreign trips.
Obi expressed concern that these trips happened while Nigeria is facing serious problems at home.
President Tinubu left Nigeria on October 2, 2024, for a two-week working leave in the UK. After his stay in the UK, he traveled to France for more meetings.
Meanwhile, Vice President Shettima traveled to Sweden on October 16 for a two-day official visit representing Nigeria.
The Presidency explained that Tinubu and Shettima’s absence does not leave a leadership gap, as both are still handling the nation’s affairs.
However, Obi, in a statement on Friday, disagreed with this explanation. He said it was worrying that both leaders were out of the country when Nigerians needed them the most.
Obi pointed out that Tinubu had initially said he would be away for only 14 days, but that time has already passed.
He added that Tinubu should have returned sooner to address the many challenges the country is facing.
Obi also criticized the Vice President’s long trip to Sweden, suggesting that Tinubu, who was already closer in France, could have easily attended the event instead, saving time and resources.
Obi said this lack of “common sense” and fiscal responsibility was troubling at a time when Nigerians are suffering from economic hardships and hunger.
He emphasized that leaders should focus on the well-being of the people and manage the country’s resources more carefully.
This is the second time both Tinubu and Shettima have been out of Nigeria at the same time since they took office 17 months ago.
