The presidency is yet to react as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, raised concerns over the frequent overseas travels of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, claiming that the President has spent 30% of his time abroad since assuming office.
Obi shared these views during a media chat in Abuja on Thursday, where he also emphasized the need for selfless leadership in 2025.
“Out of the approximately 584 days President Tinubu has been in office as of January 2, 2025, about 180 days were spent abroad, covering over 30 recorded overseas trips,” Obi alleged.
He argued that such a pattern of governance detracts from the pressing needs of Nigerians and the demands of leadership at home.
According to Daily Trust, President Tinubu has visited no fewer than 16 countries since his inauguration on May 29, 2023, with some destinations being repeat visits.
In 2024 alone, the administration reportedly spent ₦2.3 billion on foreign trips and related expenses within six months, according to GovSpend, a portal documenting Presidential Villa expenditure.
The expenses, covering February to July 2024, highlight the scale of resources directed towards these trips. Critics have pointed out that the funds could be redirected toward addressing critical domestic challenges.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, stated, “If the President were to spend two days in each of Nigeria’s 36 states, it would take him approximately 72 days. This raises questions about the prioritization of international trips over addressing domestic issues.”
He called for “selfless and exemplary leadership,” urging public office holders to focus on improving the lives of Nigerians through direct engagement and consistent presence.
The platform disclosed that it reached out to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, and Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communications, for comments but didn’t get any reaction as of the time of filing this report.
Calls and messages to their phones went unanswered.
Obi had said, “My appeal is that you dedicate at least 20% of 2025, roughly 72 days, to visit each of Nigeria’s 36 states for two days each.
“As president, such visits would give you the opportunity to better understand the dire economic and security situations across the country. Furthermore, it is time for you to visit our national hospitals. Consider, for example, that your next medical examination be conducted at one of our national hospitals or regional Federal Medical Centres, such as the FMC in Sokoto or Birnin Kebbi or Calabar or Umuahia or Akure, among others.”
The former Anambra State governor said that would allow the president to assess the state of healthcare facilities available to Nigerians and would also help him understand the condition of the nation’s hospitals and clinics, enabling him to make informed decisions on how to upgrade and make them efficient.
“Endeavour to travel by road to observe the condition of most highways. You can take short trips, for example, from Calabar in Cross River State to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, a distance of less than 100km, or from Benin in Edo State to Warri in Delta State,” he said.
He also urged President Tinubu to make both impromptu and planned visits to the nation’s tertiary institutions, to familiarise himself with the available infrastructure, facilities, and amenities.
He said, “Mr President, many Nigerians are ‘refugees’ and ‘exiles’ in their own country. Visit various IDP camps and assure these Nigerians that they will soon return to their communities and that you are working hard to restore peace and normalcy to the country. Nigeria is not a war-torn nation. The proliferation of IDP camps is a troubling sign.”
He also charged President Tinubu to pay aggressive attention to combating corruption, adding that while addressing past corrupt matters, he must ensure proper investigations and recoveries related to missing funds or their sources.
“All future borrowing must be tied to regenerative investments and visible, productive assets that benefit the nation,” he said.
Obi insisted that Nigerians need to hear directly from President Tinubu, not through his proxies and that a quarterly update on what he is doing to improve the situation in Nigeria is crucial.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections also said Nigeria’s political, economic and security situation is worsening daily, contrary to the positions and claims by the present government.
Obi noted that food insecurity has become the new national norm, making Nigeria one of the hungriest countries in the world.
He also said that gainfully employed and middle-income Nigerians now spend nearly their entire incomes on feeding, with some even resorting to borrowing just to eat.
He also accused the present administration of nepotism and disregard for the constitution, the rule of law, and due process which have become the norm in the country.
