The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has raised concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s frequent overseas travels, stating that the President spent over 30% of his time in office, approximately 180 out of 580 days as of December 29, 2024, on more than 30 publicly recorded trips abroad.
Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, January 2, in Abuja, Obi urged President Tinubu to dedicate more attention to domestic issues in 2025, including spending at least 20% of the year visiting Nigeria’s 36 states.
“Mr President, out of the approximately 580 days (as of December 29, 2024) you have been in office, it is reported that you have spent over 30%, or around 180 days, on more than 30 publicly recorded overseas trips. My appeal is that you dedicate at least 20% of 2025, roughly 72 days, to visit each of Nigeria’s 36 states for two days each.”
Obi emphasized the importance of firsthand assessments of the nation’s infrastructure, suggesting that Tinubu conduct medical examinations at national hospitals and travel by road to observe the state of the highways. He shared an anecdote about taking former President Olusegun Obasanjo on a road trip in Anambra State, which led to immediate action on road repairs.
“Consider, for example, that your next medical examination be conducted at one of our National Hospitals or Regional Federal Medical Centres,” he said. “Endeavour to travel by road to observe the condition of most highways. You can take short trips, for example, from Calabar to Uyo or Benin to Warri.”
Obi also called on Tinubu to visit tertiary institutions, military formations, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps to gain deeper insight into the challenges faced by Nigerians. “Visit various IDP camps and assure these Nigerians that they will soon return to their communities. Nigeria is not a war-torn nation. The proliferation of IDP camps is a troubling sign,” he said.
He urged the President to prioritize combating corruption, ensuring transparency in public procurement, and tying future borrowing to regenerative investments. “All future borrowing must be tied to regenerative investments and visible, productive assets that benefit the nation,” Obi added.
Highlighting the importance of direct communication, Obi insisted that Nigerians need to hear from President Tinubu himself through regular updates. “A quarterly update on what he is doing to improve the situation in Nigeria is crucial,” he said.
Obi’s remarks came against the backdrop of reports that the Tinubu administration spent ₦2.3 billion on foreign trips and related expenses within six months of 2024, according to data from GovSpend. Tinubu has visited 16 countries since assuming office, including multiple trips to the UK, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
Obi concluded by reiterating the need for selfless and exemplary leadership to address Nigeria’s pressing challenges in 2025.
