Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has expressed concern over the absence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, especially given Nigeria’s pressing domestic issues.
Earlier, The New Daily Prime reported that the presidency assured citizens that the absence of both leaders would not result in a leadership vacuum.
President Tinubu is currently on a two-week vacation in the United Kingdom, following a recent trip to France, while Vice President Shettima is away on a two-day official visit to Sweden.
In a reaction posted on his X page, Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State, emphasized the severe hardships inflicted on the populace due to some of the administration’s policies. He stressed the need for urgent leadership to navigate the nation through its current challenges.
Obi noted that one would expect the President to return sooner than planned, given the extensive work required in a nation facing such difficulties.
The statement partly read: “While it is arguable that with the President and Vice President absent from the Villa, there is no vacancy in the Presidency, in a situation where both the President and Vice President are out of the country, as reported in the media yesterday
“The President had told us he would only be gone for 14 days. The 14 days have passed now, and we are waiting to see him in the country.
“Again, since the President is reportedly in Paris, France, which is just about 833 nautical miles from Stockholm, Sweden, one wonders why he did not just attend the 2-day working visit to Sweden. He could simply have done it on his way back from France with his new powerful jet, which would have taken him a little over 2 hours.
“This would have saved time and the very scarce national resources we need critically at this time. Instead, he delegated the Vice President, who needed to travel 3055 nautical miles, over nine hours, and (about 4 times the travel time from Paris) Abuja, Nigeria, to Stockholm, Sweden, to represent him at the event. It would take about 4 times the time and distance it takes to travel from Paris to Stockholm to travel from Abuja to Stockholm.
“This does not represent the kind of fiscal responsibility and common sense that is expected of leaders whose people are facing severe hunger and poverty. This is the time to show true and committed leadership to the people by making decisions that prioritize the well-being of the people and effective management of the nation’s scarce resources in alleviating the sufferings of the people.”
