The presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi has castigated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for spending extended periods outside the country in 2025 and early 2026, stressing that the prolonged foreign stays are taking place at a moment when millions of Nigerians are battling deepening poverty, economic and social crisis, widespread insecurity and rising unemployment.
Obi particularly expressed grave concern over the continued absence of President Tinubu at a time when the country is facing some of its most severe challenges in recent history.
Obi said that given the precarious situation in which Nigeria has an estimated 140 million citizens living in extreme poverty, thus places the country at the top of the global poverty rankings, in addition to the alarming youth unemployment levels, growing hunger, and persistently high infant mortality rates, demand that a sitting President ought to be visible and decisive in addressing the burning issues.
Obi also expressed concern over what he described as “a troubling silence” from the presidency since December 2025, stressing that Nigerians were left without a New Year address or any major public communication to offer reassurance or direction.
The former Governor of Anambra State said reports indicated that President Tinubu was on holiday in Europe while Nigerians endured one of the most difficult starts to the year that was marked by economic hardship, security threats and social tension all without a clear leadership voice to guide the nation.
Obi also criticised the lack of official response following reported U.S. military actions on Nigerian soil, saying that citizens learnt about such sensitive developments through foreign media and international officials rather than from their own government.
In the words of Obi; “This pattern of silence and absence weakens public trust and erodes confidence in governance. Leadership is not about issuing occasional press statements. It is about standing before the people, engaging them directly and offering clarity in difficult times.
“Nigerians deserve to hear from their President, not through AI-generated images or vague updates, but through clear, honest and consistent communication,” he stated.
Obi further said that genuine leadership requires presence, empathy and accountability, especially during periods of national distress, thus warned that governance cannot succeed when those at the helm appear distant from the realities facing ordinary citizens.
Obi emphasised that Nigeria urgently needs a leadership style rooted in unity, consensus-building and visible engagement with the people, saying that national progress becomes impossible when direction is lacking.
He further said; “A country cannot move forward when its leadership is withdrawn from the people it serves. The absence of clear direction only deepens division, fuels mistrust and weakens the bonds that hold the nation together”.
Obi therefore challenged President Tinubu to rise to the demands of office by showing greater presence, responsiveness and empathy toward Nigerians struggling under harsh conditions, insisting that Nigeria deserves leadership that stands with its citizens, not one that appears distant when the nation needs it most.
