Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has accused President Bola Tinubu of placing international travels above pressing domestic challenges.
In a statement shared on X on Sunday, Obi described January as “a distressing month” for Nigeria, saying it exposed the speed at which conditions in the country are worsening.
He said insecurity escalated nationwide during the month, with reports of killings and “hundreds of kidnappings and abductions”, as criminals demanded millions of naira in ransom.
The former Anambra State governor noted that many farmers are still unable to return to their farmlands due to continued violence, a situation he said is aggravating food shortages and deepening rural poverty.
“Education stands as a cornerstone of national development, yet countless children remain out of school and those in school cannot attend because of insecurity or teachers’ strikes,” he wrote.
“This is particularly tragic in Abuja, the seat of government, where schools remain shuttered. This is the same Abuja where billions were squandered on renovating a conference centre for the president and Bus Terminals. One must question whether our leaders genuinely appreciate the vital role of education.”
Obi also criticised the state of the power sector, recalling that Nigeria recorded two national grid collapses in January.
He further faulted Tinubu’s travel pattern, arguing that while leaders of other nations concentrate on domestic governance at the start of the year, Nigeria’s president has chosen to prioritise foreign trips.
“This month, he spent 23 days abroad across two trips — beginning the year overseas and returning on the 17th, and departing less than 10 days on the 26th to Türkiye, where he remains as of January 31,” he added.
“What urgent matters continuously warrant his absence from the nation? When he does return, it often appears to be merely to welcome defectors into the APC before he jets off again.
“The collective impact of these events paints a grim portrait of a nation grappling simultaneously with insecurity, economic distress, failing infrastructure, and profound social upheaval.”
He accused the political class, particularly the All Progressives Congress (APC), of focusing on power tussles and election calculations rather than governance.
“Instead of confronting these urgent challenges head-on in pursuit of solutions, much of the political class remains engrossed in power calculations and the next election cycle,” Obi wrote.
“The ruling APC, in particular, seems more concerned with rallies and welcoming defectors than with visiting failing institutions or addressing the daily struggles of the Nigerian people.”