By Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has expressed concerns over recent international trips made by President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. Obi criticized the timing of these trips, given the domestic challenges Nigeria is currently facing.
According to The AfrikTimes, Tinubu left Nigeria on October 2, 2024, for a two-week working leave in the United Kingdom. He later traveled to France on October 11 for “another important engagement,” as tweeted by Ibrahim Masari, his Senior Special Assistant on Political and Other Matters. Meanwhile, Vice President Shettima traveled to Sweden for a two-day visit to engage in bilateral discussions with the Scandinavian nation.
The Presidency defended both absences, stating on Wednesday that their absence does not create a leadership vacuum, as both leaders remain actively engaged with national affairs while abroad.
However, in a response posted on X (formerly Twitter), Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, expressed his dismay, stating that it is troubling for both the President and Vice President to be out of the country during such a critical time for Nigerians. He added that while it may be technically true that the absence of the two leaders does not create a vacancy in the Presidency, their departure amid Nigeria’s ongoing problems is cause for concern.
Obi pointed out that Tinubu’s two-week absence has already exceeded the promised 14 days and questioned why the President hadn’t returned sooner, given the nation’s pressing issues. He criticized the President’s failure to attend the event in Sweden, noting that Tinubu could have easily done so on his way back from France, which is geographically close to Sweden. Instead, Obi highlighted that Vice President Shettima had to travel over 9 hours from Abuja to Sweden, a journey that could have been avoided if Tinubu had combined both trips.
Obi further argued that this lack of fiscal responsibility and poor time management sends the wrong message to Nigerians, many of whom are suffering from severe economic hardships due to the administration’s policies. He called for leadership that prioritizes the well-being of the people and effective management of the country’s resources.
VP Shettima Arrives in Sweden for a 2-Day Visit
This marks the second time both the President and Vice President have been out of the country simultaneously since they took office 17 months ago. The first occurrence was between late April and early May 2024, when Tinubu attended international events in London, the Netherlands, and Saudi Arabia, while Shettima attended summits in Nairobi and the U.S.
