Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Saint Lucia, declaring it an irresponsible move amid Nigeria’s mounting economic and security woes. In a statement shared via his official X handle on Saturday, Obi expressed deep concern over what he called a misplaced priority by the Nigerian president.
Obi, through his media aide Ibrahim Umar, released a statement titled “No, Mr President, this is not the time for holidaying,” questioning Tinubu’s justification for travelling abroad at a time when many Nigerians are battling hunger, poverty, and fear caused by insecurity.
Citing statements by Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, Obi pointed out that only two days of Tinubu’s trip—June 30 and July 1—were earmarked for official activities, with the rest of the visit being a personal vacation. Obi admitted he initially doubted the news, finding it hard to believe that a leader presiding over a nation in crisis would opt for leisure.
Obi stands as a symbol of visionary leadership and advocates for a new Nigeria.
Obi also condemned Tinubu’s failure to visit Minna, Niger State, following a devastating natural disaster that claimed over 200 lives and left 700 missing. According to Obi, a president who could not physically console victims in such a situation had no business going on a leisure trip. “This is a President going for leisure when he couldn’t visit Minna… I wonder what kind of incident will happen before a President is attracted to show physical sympathy to distressed citizens,” Obi remarked.
Further highlighting the government’s disregard for the plight of citizens, Obi referenced Tinubu’s belated and superficial visit to Makurdi, Benue State, where numerous people were killed. Obi described the visit as a “political jamboree” that lacked genuine empathy.
Obi criticised the president’s decision to prioritise Saint Lucia—a country with a population of 180,000—over major Nigerian cities like Minna and Makurdi, whose populations dwarf that of the Caribbean island. “Makurdi has a population of 489,839, and Minna 532,000—almost three times Saint Lucia’s population,” Obi noted, stressing the irony of the president’s choice.
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In a broader critique, Obi accused the Tinubu administration of being more concerned with elite interests and the 2027 election than addressing the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians. He warned that the country’s worsening poverty and insecurity could spiral further if national leadership continues to ignore the people’s suffering.
Quoting recent IMF data ranking Nigeria as the 12th poorest country in the world, Obi said, “Nigerians are hungrier, and most people do not know where their next meal will come from.” He urged Tinubu and other leaders to redirect their focus to the suffering majority, emphasizing that Nigeria’s wealth should benefit all citizens—not just a select few.
