Obi to Tinubu: Travelling abroad while Nigeria bleeds insensitive — you aren’t a tourist

Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has criticised President Bola Tinubu for his planned trip to Japan and Brazil.

On Thursday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, announced that Tinubu would embark on a two-nation trip, with a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), before proceeding to Japan.

Tinubu has embarked on frequent trips to the UK, France and a slew of other countries, since he was elected president in 2023.

Obi said the president’s recent trip reflects a troubling pattern.

The former Anambra governor also said Tinubu spent a week in Saint Lucia before the recent BRICS summit, where Nigeria participated only as an observer, even though the invitation was presented as a “partnership”.

“Amid the deplorable state of our nation in all ramifications, we have a virtually indifferent President who has continued to display insensitivity to our situation,” Obi wrote on X.

“How can anyone explain that a President who came from Brazil recently and met with the President is returning to the same country, leaving the various degrees of challenges at home unresolved?

“The latest itinerary of the President shows he will depart Abuja on Thursday, August 14, for a two-nation trip to Japan and Brazil.

“The President will stop over in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, before proceeding to Japan.

“In Japan, President Tinubu will attend the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in the city of Yokohama from August 20 to 22.

“The itinerary is silent on the President’s return date to his visibly troubled nation. The situation we find ourselves in is deeply worrisome.

“Our President, who has not found it worthy to visit any of our troubled states, takes joy in travelling to foreign countries at the slightest invitation or excuse, often departing several days before the events he’s invited to.”

‘YOU ARE NOT A TOURIST’

Obi said Nigeria’s insecurity and economic distress have reached record levels, placing the country among the most insecure nations, most fragile economies and hungriest countries in the world.

He said the president’s energy should be directed at visiting communities back home, spending time on the ground and taking decisive steps to ease people’s suffering rather than “overseas conferences that contribute little or no tangible value to our nation’s woes”.

Obi also said where a foreign trip is necessary, it should be done within a few days, rather than indulging in “prolonged, unnecessary absences” from a country that requires constant leadership attention.

“What our nation needs now is the security of lives and property, economic stability, and ensuring that our people have food on their table,” he said.

The ex-governor said Tinubu’s “planned 12-day trip”, if truly needed, could have been shortened to five days since the event in Japan would not start until August 20.

“Nigeria today demands competent leadership with capacity and compassion to start dealing with the problems besetting it, with the presence and sacrifice required,” he added.

“Mr President must, as a matter of urgency, commence tours of our states with the same enthusiasm he shows for jetting out of the country every month. These visits will enable him to see, listen and learn more about what Nigerians are going through.

“Though Nigerians know our huge problems cannot be solved overnight, they want to see 100 percent effort and tireless commitment to solving them.

“Most importantly, our President must know that he’s not a tourist, but the Chief Executive of a troubled nation, so he must have consciousness, strict work schedules and a strict travelling schedule to show that he has a troubled country to quickly return to.”