By Ayodele Oni
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has reacted to President Bola Tinubu’s 10 days annual working leave and current trip to France saying no holiday should be more important than the Nigerian life the president swore to protect.
He stated that at a time when Nigerians need leadership, empathy, and presence, a President should not choose foreign holidays.
Obi criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s frequent travels abroad, describing them as a neglect of pressing national challenges.
In a statement issued on Friday and posted on his Facebook page, Obi said the President’s continued absence from the country at critical times was worrisome.
He maintained that Nigeria required leadership presence and empathy in the face of growing insecurity, hunger and economic hardship.
Obi noted that President Tinubu had embarked on another trip to France for his annual holiday, barely six days after returning from a 15-day foreign engagement.
According to him, the development marks about the President’s tenth visit to France in two years.
He described the trips as insensitive, citing worsening living conditions in Nigeria. Obi claimed that least 79 percent of Nigerians, over 180 million people are facing food insecurity.
He explained that Nigeria was recently rated the worst country to give birth, and among the worst to live, with the lowest life expectancy globally.
The former Anambra governor expressed concern that during the President’s last trip, more than 50 people were killed in separate attacks in Katsina State, while over 60 others were kidnapped.
He also pointed to Thursday’s boat mishap in Niger State that claimed about 60 lives, arguing that the President should have visited grieving families before departing for another holiday.
He stressed that true leadership meant sacrifice, investment in healthcare and education, lifting citizens out of poverty, and guaranteeing security.
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