Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s planned visit to Saint Lucia, calling it poorly timed and insensitive given the current economic hardship, insecurity, and natural disasters facing Nigeria.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had announced on Friday that the President would depart Nigeria on Saturday for a state visit to Saint Lucia. The visit, according to Onanuga, is part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s ties with Caribbean nations and promote South-South cooperation. After Saint Lucia, Tinubu is also expected to proceed to Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
In a strongly worded statement titled “No, Mr President, This is Not the Time for Holidaying,” Obi expressed disbelief that the President would consider such a trip amid worsening conditions in the country.
“I didn’t want to believe that anyone in a position of authority—especially the President, on whose table the buck stops—would contemplate a leisure trip at a time like this,” Obi stated.
He condemned the timing of the visit, stressing that Nigerians are enduring unprecedented levels of hunger, insecurity, and suffering caused by floods and other disasters.
“What I have witnessed over the past two years has been deeply troubling. Governance has been reduced to political gamesmanship and elite indulgence, while ordinary Nigerians are left to struggle in despair,” Obi said.
He highlighted the alarming rate of insecurity across the country, comparing the death toll from criminal activities to that of war-torn nations.
“Nigeria has lost more lives to crime and violence than some countries officially at war. Today, many Nigerians go to bed hungry, not knowing where their next meal will come from.”
Obi expressed dismay that the President was absent from communities devastated by natural disasters, such as Minna in Niger State, where floods reportedly claimed over 200 lives and left many missing. He also criticised Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue State, describing it as a political spectacle rather than a genuine condolence effort.
“Leadership demands presence, empathy, and responsibility. This is not the time for travel or celebration,” Obi concluded.
