The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep disappointment over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s latest foreign trip, describing it as grossly insensitive to the plight of suffering Nigerians.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle titled “No, Mr President, this is not the Time for Holidaying,” Obi said he was struggling to comprehend the state of governance in Nigeria. According to him, while Nigerians face extreme hardship, hunger, and insecurity, the President has chosen to prioritize foreign travel and leisure over urgent national issues.
“What I have witnessed in the last two years has left me in shock — poor governance delivery, unchecked insecurity, and misplaced priorities. It is disheartening that a leader, whose primary duty is to serve and protect, is busy holidaying while the masses suffer,” Obi lamented.
Saint Lucia Visit Sparks National Outrage
Peter Obi’s criticism followed the announcement by the government of Saint Lucia that President Tinubu would be visiting the Caribbean nation for both official engagements and private leisure time. The Saint Lucian Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, confirmed the visit, stating that two days, June 30 and July 1, would be dedicated to official duties, while the rest of the trip would be a personal vacation.
This confirmation, Peter Obi noted, was shocking, especially considering Tinubu had only recently returned from a holiday in Lagos. “I didn’t want to believe that any leader, particularly the President, could contemplate another leisure trip when the country is grappling with escalating insecurity, economic hardship, and natural disasters,” Obi stated.
The Labour Party leader questioned the rationale behind prioritizing foreign leisure trips over visiting disaster-hit areas like Minna, where over 200 people lost their lives and more than 700 remain missing after severe flooding.
Neglect of Disaster Victims: A Painful Reality
Peter Obi highlighted Tinubu’s failure to physically visit Minna and other crisis-hit regions as evidence of an administration detached from the realities of ordinary Nigerians. “A President who failed to visit Minna after the flood disaster, or to console families after brutal killings in Benue, is now comfortable embarking on a pleasure trip thousands of miles away,” he stated.
Referencing the President’s recent visit to Makurdi, Peter Obi argued it was reduced to a political jamboree rather than a genuine condolence visit. “It was a public show, not a display of empathy. Children were made to line the streets to welcome a President who never even reached the affected villages,” he said.
Obi went further to draw a comparison between the affected Nigerian towns and Saint Lucia. He pointed out that Makurdi, with a land area of 937.4 km² and a population of nearly 490,000, is far larger than Saint Lucia’s 617 km² and population of 180,000. Similarly, Minna is almost ten times bigger in land size than Saint Lucia and has nearly triple its population.
A Government Detached from the People
Peter Obi warned that the Tinubu administration continues to show a dangerous pattern of ignoring the plight of the poor while prioritizing the comfort of the elites. “This government has repeatedly demonstrated that it is more concerned with pleasing the rich and focusing on 2027 politics rather than addressing urgent economic and security issues,” he remarked.
He stressed that at a time when Nigeria ranks among the most insecure countries globally and millions go to bed hungry, the President should be “asking God for extra hours in a day” to tackle the nation’s myriad challenges, not seeking leisure abroad.
“The picture of Nigeria today is grim. It’s not a time for any leader to relax. Our people are dying, suffering, and losing hope. Leadership demands presence, empathy, and sacrifice,” Obi emphasized.
Peter Obi’s Final Call: Return Focus to the People
In his concluding remarks, Peter Obi urged the federal government and the President to urgently reverse the growing detachment from the plight of ordinary Nigerians. He stressed that the wealth and resources of Nigeria are a collective inheritance, not the privilege of a select few.
Peter Obi warned, “The time has come to halt this dangerous drift before it consumes us all. Our leaders must focus on lifting Nigerians out of poverty, restoring security, and rebuilding the economy.”
He appealed to President Tinubu and other government officials to demonstrate true leadership by dedicating themselves fully to solving Nigeria’s worsening crises instead of pursuing luxury and political distractions
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