You Are Not a Tourist, Obi Tells Tinubu

Obi

By TANKO ALI

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s planned 12-day trip to Japan and Brazil, describing it as insensitive to Nigeria’s deepening crises.

In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Obi said that at a time when insecurity, economic hardship, and hunger have reached alarming levels, the President should focus on visiting troubled parts of Nigeria instead of “jetting out of the country at the slightest invitation or excuse.”

“How can anyone explain that a President who came from Brazil recently is returning to the same country, leaving the various degrees of challenges at home unresolved?” Obi asked.

The itinerary released by the Presidency shows Tinubu will depart Abuja on August 14, stop over in Dubai, and proceed to Yokohama, Japan, for the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) from August 20 to 22, before heading to Brazil. The return date has not been disclosed.

Obi criticised the President for extended foreign stays, citing his recent one-week visit to St. Lucia before attending the BRICS Summit, where Nigeria only participated as an observer, as an example. He argued that, if necessary, the Japan trip should last no more than five days.

“What our nation needs now is security, economic stability, and ensuring that our people have food on their tables,” Obi said. “The President must know he is not a tourist but the Chief Executive of a troubled nation.”

He urged Tinubu to begin nationwide tours to see first-hand what Nigerians are going through, stressing that citizens “want to see 100% effort and tireless commitment” from their