Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate from the 2023 general elections, has expressed concern over the recent foreign trips taken by President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Obi’s remarks highlight the timing of these trips, coinciding with pressing domestic issues facing Nigeria.
Tinubu left for the United Kingdom on October 2, 2024, for a scheduled two-week working leave. He subsequently traveled to France on October 11 for what his Senior Special Assistant on Political and Other Matters, Ibrahim Masari, described as “another important engagement.” Meanwhile, Shettima departed for Sweden on October 16 for a two-day visit to engage in bilateral discussions.
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In response to the presidency’s assertion that the absence of both leaders does not create a leadership vacuum, Obi emphasized the importance of their presence during a time of crisis. He stated, “While it is arguable that with the President and Vice President absent from the Villa, there is no vacancy in the Presidency, it’s concerning for a country with such myriads of domestic problems.”
Obi further remarked on the extended duration of Tinubu’s trip, stating, “The 14 days have passed now, and we are waiting to see him in the country. One would have expected him to return earlier than expected, considering the volume of work that needs to be done in a troubled nation like ours.”
He also questioned the necessity of Shettima’s travel to Sweden while the President was in Paris, only 833 nautical miles away. “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,” Obi stated.
Obi pointed out the inefficiency of delegating the Vice President to represent him in Sweden, noting that it required Shettima to travel over 3,000 nautical miles, a journey taking more than nine hours. “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,” he added.
This latest round of trips marks the second instance in which both Tinubu and Shettima have been out of the country simultaneously since taking office 17 months ago. In May 2024, while Tinubu attended the World Economic Forum in Europe, Shettima was also abroad, attending an International Development Association summit in Nairobi before abruptly returning home.
