"No Holiday is More Important Than Nigerian Lives," Peter Obi Blasts Tinubu in Fresh Message
- Presidential hopeful Peter Gregory Obi urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise the lives and welfare of Nigerians rather than traveling abroad from time to time
- Obi was reacting to the statement by the presidency announcing that Tinubu has departed Abuja to begin a 10-day working vacation in Europe as part of his 2025 annual leave
- The former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate argued that President Tinubu should have visited at least one of the Nigerian states where tragedies happened recently
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance in Nigeria.
FCT, Abuja - Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, on Friday, September 5, 2025, criticised President Bola Tinubu for his frequent overseas trips, describing them as insensitive.
Legit.ng had reported on Thursday, September 4, that President Tinubu departed Abuja for Europe to begin a 10-day working vacation as part of his 2025 yearly leave.
Source: Facebook
According to a statement by his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president will spend the holiday between France and the United Kingdom (UK) before returning to the country.
President Tinubu, after taking oath of office on May 29, 2023, has undertaken numerous international trips for official diplomatic and economic purposes.
Checks by Legit.ng revealed that since his assumption, Tinubu has embarked on ‘working vacation’ trips abroad for at least five times in two years.
Tinubu has undertaken at least 43 foreign trips.
The latest trip makes the 15th international trip across 11 countries that Tinubu has undertaken in 2025 alone.
He only recently returned to the country after a trip to Japan and Brazil.
His various trips include high-level summits, bilateral engagements, presidential inaugurations, and short holidays.
Source: Twitter
Peter Obi chides Tinubu again
In his reaction, Obi insinuated that it appears Nigeria is not conducive to the president, adding that tragedies are happening in the country, whereas Tinubu chose not to visit the grieving locations.
Obi said in a statement he personally signed, obtained by Legit.ng:
"From all indications, our President is not finding his home in Nigeria conducive for a long stay, and it should be concerning to us.
"It does look like Mr. President is running away from Nigeria at every slight opportunity. And one would wonder why so much of his two years in office has been spent on holidays or away from the very country he was elected to preside over.
"Meanwhile, at least 79% of Nigerians have been reported to be facing food insecurity, that is over 180 million people facing hunger.
"Nigeria, just last month, was declared the worst country to give birth, and just weeks ago, the worst place to live, with the world’s worst life expectancy. We deserve a president with all hands on deck to solve these issues."
The opposition leader concluded:
"No holiday is more important than the Nigerian lives you swore to protect. At a time when Nigerians need leadership, empathy, and presence, a President should not choose foreign holidays. True leadership is about sacrifice and the ability to improve healthcare, invest in quality education, pull millions out of poverty, and guarantee the security of every citizen."
Revenue expectation: Obi condemns Tinubu
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Obi said achieving revenue targets means nothing if it does not impact the lives of the people.
Obi said accomplishing revenue targets is useless if those who serve and build the nation are left with unpaid entitlements in their difficult years.
The former governor lamented that people who served Nigeria are still "protesting over unpaid gratuities and pensions".
Source: Legit.ng
