Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s extended eight-day state visit to St. Lucia, describing the timing and duration as “inappropriate and unacceptable” given Nigeria’s dire domestic situation. In a detailed commentary published by The Guardian Nigeria, Obi lamented that while the president was abroad receiving a personal honour and title, Nigeria was “bleeding” at home with escalating insecurity, unpaid teachers, dysfunctional schools, and failing healthcare facilities.
Obi argued that Nigeria is currently a “non-functioning nation” where children are out of school due to unpaid teachers, and communities are ravaged by violence. He highlighted that during Tinubu’s visit, at least 37 people were killed in a Boko Haram attack in Yobe State, protests erupted over unemployment and insecurity in Kwara State, and over 200 Nigerians lost their lives in various crisis-related incidents nationwide. Obi contrasted Tinubu’s absence with the urgent need for presidential presence in troubled states like Niger, Taraba, and Plateau, which have not seen official visits despite their security challenges.
Obi also challenged the justification given by Tinubu’s handlers that the trip was necessary for cultural ties, economic gains, and attendance at the BRICS summit. He noted that no agreements contributing to Nigeria’s development had been signed during the visit, which was largely focused on Tinubu receiving a knighthood from St. Lucia’s Governor-General. Furthermore, Obi pointed out that major BRICS members like China and Russia were not attending the summit, diminishing its significance.
The former presidential candidate stressed that leadership in a nation “in pain” must prioritize fixing internal crises over chasing foreign titles and honours. He called for a government that is present, responsive, and focused on addressing the plight of Nigerians rather than “craving accolades instead of actual development.”
This critique underscores growing public frustration with the Tinubu administration’s handling of domestic security and social welfare amid high-profile foreign engagements. It also raises questions about the balance between Nigeria’s international diplomacy and urgent internal governance needs.
