Peter Obi has raised concerns about President Bola Tinubu’s continued absence, arguing that Nigeria is facing severe socio-economic challenges without visible leadership.
In a statement shared on his X handle on Monday, Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, said the country was in the midst of a national emergency and accused the President of spending extended periods outside Nigeria while critical issues worsened at home.
“Where is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?” Obi asked, describing the question as a “critical demand for accountability in a national emergency.”
He alleged that about 140 million Nigerians are living in extreme poverty, with hunger, insecurity and unemployment affecting millions, particularly young people.
According to the former Anambra governor, Tinubu had reportedly spent 196 days abroad in 2025 alone, a period Obi said exceeded the time the President spent within the country. He added that Nigerians had not heard directly from Tinubu since December 2025.
“Since December 2025, Nigerians have not heard a word from their President. Reports indicate he opted for a holiday in Europe while the nation was plunged into a New Year marked by hunger, anxiety and uncertainty,” Obi said.
“There was no New Year address, no national broadcast, no leadership voice to provide reassurance or guidance.”
Tinubu left Lagos on December 28 for Europe on an end-of-year break and later travelled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to attend the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week at the invitation of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The trip followed his recent visits to Borno and Bauchi states and time spent in Lagos.
Obi contrasted Tinubu’s silence with how leaders in other developing countries respond during periods of crisis, arguing that Nigerians were left uninformed on major national issues.
“In Nigeria, following U.S. military strikes on our soil, our President remained silent. Instead of directly addressing the nation, Nigerians learned about these critical events from foreign media, American officials, and vague communications from the Presidency’s aides,” he said.
He criticised the President’s frequent participation in international summits while, in his view, failing to engage Nigerians at home, describing the situation as neglect. Obi questioned whether the country was being governed from within or “managed from elsewhere”.
“You cannot run Nigeria like a personal business or a private club; it is imperative to rebuild and grow our economy through unity and clarity,” he said.
“In a time of crisis, the absence of leadership is not just troubling; it is perilous. Silence in the face of crisis is the loudest form of failure.”
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