Peter Obi criticizes Tinubu, Shettima’s Overseas Trips Amid Nigeria’s Crises

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has expressed concern over the simultaneous absence of Nigeria’s president and vice president from the country.

On October 2, President Bola Tinubu embarked on a two-week vacation to the United Kingdom, as announced by the presidency. Ten days later, Kabir Masari, the president’s senior special assistant on political matters, confirmed that Tinubu had departed the UK for France.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently on a two-day working visit to Sweden. The presidency has assured that the absence of the nation’s top leaders does not equate to a leadership vacuum.

Reacting to the situation, Obi suggested that President Tinubu could have personally undertaken the Sweden visit instead of delegating the responsibility to Shettima. He criticized both leaders for failing to exercise fiscal responsibility amid the severe economic challenges Nigerians are facing.

“While some may argue that the absence of the President and Vice President does not create a leadership void, it remains troubling when both are out of the country, given the numerous domestic issues we are dealing with,” Obi wrote on X.

“The President initially stated he would be away for 14 days, but that period has now elapsed, and we are still awaiting his return. Given the magnitude of challenges facing our nation, one would have expected him to cut his vacation short.”

He emphasized the need for urgent attention to the country’s pressing issues, particularly the hardships caused by recent government policies.

“Moreover, with the President reportedly in Paris, which is only about 833 nautical miles from Stockholm, it raises questions as to why he did not personally attend the two-day event in Sweden.

“Considering the proximity, he could have made the trip on his way back from France using his new aircraft, which would have taken just over two hours. This would have saved both time and the scarce national resources that are critically needed.”

Obi added that delegating the Vice President, who had to travel 3,055 nautical miles over nine hours from Abuja to Stockholm, was an unnecessary expense that could have been avoided.