By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Former Anambra State Governor and Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress in the forthcoming 2027 general election, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to embark on a three-week vacation in Europe, describing the development as insensitive to the hardship and security challenges confronting Nigerians.
Obi, in a statement reacting to reports of Tinubu’s latest foreign trip, said Nigeria was facing a “deep crisis,” with millions of citizens struggling to afford food and transportation while insecurity continues to ravage communities across the country.
He particularly expressed concern over the reported abduction of about 600 Nigerians, predominantly women, children and elderly persons, during Juma’at prayers in Niger State, arguing that the security situation demanded greater attention from the President.
“Yet, at this critical moment, the President has left the country for another holiday,” Obi said.
The former Govermor also questioned government spending on presidential travels, citing reports that expenditure on presidential trips and related travel expenses between June 2023 and April 2026 amounted to about ₦37.64 billion.
According to Obi, Tinubu has also spent approximately 261 days outside the country within the period under review.
He contrasted the reported expenditure on presidential travels with funding for the health sector, alleging that only ₦36 million was released to the Federal Ministry of Health in 2025 despite a capital allocation of ₦218 billion.
“This is the calamity befalling our country today,” Obi said, arguing that a government that could spend billions of naira on presidential travel while critical sectors remained underfunded should reconsider its priorities.
He said leadership required putting the needs of citizens ahead of personal comfort, particularly at a time when Nigerians were struggling with food insecurity, transportation costs, insecurity, inadequate healthcare and disruption to education.
“When citizens cannot feed their families, move safely, access healthcare, send their children to school, or sleep peacefully in their homes, the President should be more concerned about fixing the country than repeatedly leaving it,” he said.
Obi, however, advocated greater patronage of Nigeria’s tourism destinations by political leaders and other Nigerians, saying the President should serve as the country’s “chief marketer” by promoting domestic tourism.
He suggested that presidential vacations could be spent in destinations across the country, including Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Cross River, Bauchi and Ebonyi states.
According to him, increased domestic tourism could unlock significant economic opportunities by creating jobs and supporting businesses in the hospitality, transportation, agriculture, entertainment and creative sectors.
“Tourism creates jobs. It supports hospitality, transportation, agriculture, entertainment, crafts, and small businesses. It brings investment and foreign exchange and allows communities to benefit directly from their natural and cultural assets,” he said.
Obi argued that Nigeria should reduce the practice of exporting its wealth while spending money abroad on leisure and tourism.
“We cannot continue to export our wealth and import our pleasures while our own enormous potential remains neglected,” he said.
He further used the occasion to project his political partnership with former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, ahead of the 2027 general election, saying Nigerians deserved leadership that would prioritise national development.
“We deserve leadership that puts Nigeria first; leadership that cares and plans for a better Nigeria. That is the kind of leadership that the partnership between H.E. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and me will bring,” Obi said.
