The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s three-week trip to Europe, describing the timing of the vacation as insensitive to the hardships facing Nigerians.
Obi, in a statement on Monday, said Tinubu left Nigeria on Sunday for a vacation in Europe, with London as his first destination, at a time when many Nigerians were struggling to afford basic necessities such as food and transportation.
He also raised concerns over the worsening insecurity across the country, particularly the reported abduction of about 600 Nigerians, mainly women, children and elderly people, during Juma’at prayers in Niger State.
“Insecurity is ravaging communities, and thousands of children are unable to access education because of insecurity.
“Just days ago, about 600 Nigerians, predominantly women, children, and the elderly, were reportedly abducted during Juma’at prayers in Niger state. Yet, at this critical moment, the president has left the country for another holiday,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor also questioned the amount of public funds reportedly spent on presidential travels, arguing that critical sectors of the economy remained underfunded.
“According to reports, government expenditure on presidential trips and related travel expenses between June 2023 and April 2026 amounted to about ₦37.64 billion, with the president spending approximately 261 days outside Nigeria,” he said.
“Meanwhile, only ₦36 million was reportedly released to the Federal Ministry of Health in 2025, despite a capital allocation of ₦218 billion, in a country of over 230 million people.”
Obi described the situation as a “calamity”, arguing that government priorities should focus on addressing the challenges confronting citizens.
“This is the calamity befalling our country today,” he stated. “A government that can spend tens of billions on presidential travel while critical sectors remain starved of funds, and Nigerians are asked to endure worsening hardship, must not be allowed to continue.”
He said effective leadership required prioritising the welfare and security of citizens over frequent foreign trips.
“Leadership is about priorities. When citizens cannot feed their families, move safely, access healthcare, send their children to school, or sleep peacefully in their homes, the president should be more concerned about fixing the country than repeatedly leaving it,” Obi said.
He further urged the president to promote domestic tourism by visiting destinations across Nigeria, rather than spending vacations abroad.
“I look forward to a Nigeria where our president can vacation in Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Cross River, Bauchi, Ebonyi, and many other destinations across our country. The president of Nigeria should be the chief marketer of Nigeria as a tourism destination, as other comparable countries do.”
Obi added that Nigeria should focus on developing its domestic potential instead of spending its resources abroad.
“We cannot continue to export our wealth and import our pleasures while our own enormous potential remains neglected. We deserve leadership that puts Nigeria first; leadership that cares and plans for a better Nigeria. That is the kind of leadership that the partnership between H.E. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and me will bring.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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