The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cancellation of his planned trips to South Africa and Angola, describing the decision as an ineffective attempt to address Nigeria’s worsening security situation.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, labelled the cancellation “the latest and boldest example of tokenism,” arguing that symbolic gestures cannot substitute for concrete action. The criticism comes at a time of heightened public anger following the abduction of twenty-five schoolgirls from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State.
According to Ememobong, while the President’s decision may appear empathetic, it “does little to confront the escalating insecurity across the country,” particularly in northern communities grappling with banditry, mass abductions, and deadly attacks.
“If the APC-led Presidency disagrees with this position, then we demand that President Tinubu temporarily relocate to Kebbi State and other theatres of armed conflict in Northern Nigeria,” the PDP spokesman said.
His comments echo a growing chorus of calls for stronger federal leadership, coming just hours after President Tinubu ordered Defence Minister Bello Matawalle to relocate to Kebbi State to coordinate rescue operations for the abducted schoolgirls.
Ememobong argued that relocating the President—not just the minister—would send a stronger signal. Such a move, he said, would “challenge security agencies to act more decisively and boost the morale of troops at the frontlines.”
“As President and Commander-in-Chief, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must not recline in the comfort of the Presidential Villa at a time when 25 schoolgirls have been abducted and their whereabouts remain unknown,” he stressed.
The PDP also linked recent attacks in Kwara State to what it described as the daily reality of fear endured by Nigerians. The party accused the administration of offering “outright denials, rationalised explanations, empty assurances, and other superficial gestures,” arguing that symbolic actions like the cancelled trip do not address the root of the crisis.
The presidency has yet to respond to the PDP’s remarks. Meanwhile, nationwide pressure continues to mount on the government to deliver stronger, more coordinated security interventions.
