Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential contender, has voiced worries about President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima’s concurrent absences from the nation.
AFRIPOST reports that on October 2, President Tinubu started a two-week vacation that was originally scheduled to conclude with a visit to the United Kingdom. But his extended absence overseas—he is apparently currently in Paris, France—has raised concerns.
Although there isn’t a presidential vacancy, Obi noted that given Nigeria’s many internal issues, the absence of both leaders is concerning.
“The President had told us he would only be gone for 14 days. The 14 days have passed now, and we are waiting to see him in the country.”
Obi asked why the president chose to send Vice President Shettima to Sweden, which is nine hours away from Abuja, rather than going personally.
“This does not reflect the budgetary responsibility and common sense that leaders whose people are suffering from extreme poverty and hunger are expected to exhibit.”
Obi’s statement posted on social media platform X on Friday reads:
While it is arguable that with the President and Vice President absent from the Villa, there is no vacancy in the Presidency, in a situation where both the President and Vice President are out of the country, as reported in the media yesterday, it’s concerning for a country with such myriads of domestic problems.
The President had told us he would only be gone for 14 days. The 14 days have passed now, and we are waiting to see him in the country.
One would have expected him to return earlier than expected, considering the volume of work that needs to be done in a troubled nation like ours.
The untold hardship that has been unleashed on our people as a result of some of his administration’s policies is unimaginable and we need his urgent attention to pilot the nation out of this present situation.
Again, since the President is reportedly in Paris, France, which is just about 833 nautical miles from Stockholm, Sweden, one wonders why he did not just attend the 2-day working visit to Sweden. He could simply have done it on his way back from France with his new powerful jet, which would have taken him a little over 2 hours.
This would have saved time and the very scarce national resources we need critically at this time. Instead, he delegated the Vice President, who needed to travel 3055 nautical miles, over nine hours, and (about 4 times the travel time from Paris) Abuja, Nigeria, to Stockholm, Sweden, to represent him at the event. It would take about 4 times the time and distance it takes to travel from Paris to Stockholm to travel from Abuja to Stockholm.
This does not represent the kind of fiscal responsibility and common sense that is expected of leaders whose people are facing severe hunger and poverty.
This is the time to show true and committed leadership to the people by making decisions that prioritize the well-being of the people and effective management of the nation’s scarce resources in alleviating the sufferings of the people.
A New Nigeria is POssible.