Obi to Tinubu: You’re Not a Tourist, You’re the President of a Troubled Nation
By SpringnewsNG Media Limited August 15,2025
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his frequent foreign trips, accusing him of showing “indifference and insensitivity” to Nigeria’s growing crises.
Obi’s reaction came after the President departed Nigeria on Thursday morning for a 12-day trip to Japan and Brazil, with a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, the former Anambra State governor said the journey would increase the number of days Tinubu has spent outside his office to almost 200 days out of 806 in office.
“Our President must remember he is not a tourist but the leader of a troubled nation,” Obi wrote, stressing that Nigeria is battling severe economic hardship, insecurity, and instability that require urgent attention.
He questioned the necessity of the extended trip, noting that the event in Japan begins on August 20 and could have been attended in no more than five days. Obi also pointed out that Tinubu only recently returned from Brazil after meeting its president.
“What our nation needs now is security of lives and property, economic stability, and food security,” Obi stated. “Nigeria today demands competent leadership with capacity and compassion to tackle our problems with presence and sacrifice.”
The opposition leader urged Tinubu to replace his regular international travels with domestic tours across Nigeria’s 36 states to see first-hand the suffering of citizens, listen to their concerns, and respond with decisive action.
Obi acknowledged that Nigeria’s challenges cannot be solved overnight but insisted that citizens expect “100 percent effort and tireless commitment” from their leader.
“Most importantly,” Obi added, “the President must have a strict travel schedule that reflects the urgency of our situation, showing he has a troubled country to quickly return to.”
