The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent state visit to St. Lucia, describing it as ill-timed and insensitive amid Nigeria’s worsening security and socio-economic crises.
Obi, in a statement issued on Monday, said it was “alarming” that at a time when Nigerians are grappling with insecurity, hunger, and non-functional public services, the President is more focused on collecting honours and titles abroad.
“We now live in a country obsessed with titles and ceremonial accolades, while citizens die in dozens and basic systems are collapsing. The Presidency is basking in the euphoria of honorary awards in St. Lucia, while our people are being massacred at home,” he said.
He argued that his criticism was not directed at the Caribbean nation of St. Lucia but rather at the timing and duration of Tinubu’s eight-day foreign trip, which he described as inappropriate.
“When I said the President’s visit to St. Lucia was unacceptable, it wasn’t out of disrespect for that country. It’s about priorities. Nigeria is bleeding. Timing is everything,” he stated.
The former Anambra State governor noted that since President Tinubu departed for the trip, at least 200 Nigerians have died in separate incidents linked to insecurity and communal violence. He referenced the killing of 37 people in Yobe State by Boko Haram insurgents, ongoing protests in Kwara over unemployment and insecurity, and teachers protesting unpaid salaries in Abuja.
“Today, as the President receives another title, our children are out of school, teachers are unpaid, families are displaced, and communities are under siege. What have we seen from the St. Lucia trip so far? No agreements signed, no deals announced—only a personal honour for the President,” he said.
Obi also accused the administration of neglecting hard-hit regions in Nigeria, claiming that Tinubu has yet to visit or spend a night in several troubled states like Taraba, Niger, and Plateau, despite growing insecurity.
“Apart from attending a wedding in Katsina and residing in Lagos, Mr. President has not toured any part of Nigeria for official visits as he is doing in a Caribbean island,” he stated.
Responding to the presidency’s justification of the trip on the grounds that it includes attendance at the upcoming BRICS summit, Obi dismissed the explanation, saying most BRICS leaders were not yet en route and some were not even attending.
“Even China and Russia, two founding members, are not sending their presidents. India’s Prime Minister is still in-country and will only embark on a multi-nation tour within the same period. There is no excuse. Our leadership must be present and responsive,” Obi said.
He insisted that no summit, no vacation, and no ceremony should come before the safety and welfare of Nigerians.
“We must now prioritise pulling our people out of poverty, getting our children back in school, paying our teachers, fixing our hospitals, and securing our communities,” Obi said. “A nation in pain cannot afford a leadership in denial.”
