Amid escalating violence and insecurity across Nigeria, particularly in the northern states of the country, former presidential candidate Peter Obi questioned President Bola Tinubu’s priorities, urging him to cut short his retreat in France and address the security challenges plaguing the nation.
Obi criticized Tinubu saying that his travel to France is ill-timed given Nigeria’s worsening security situation, which he noted has claimed over 150 lives in just two weeks.
Obi’s call for the president’s return came two weeks after Tinubu’s Special Adviser, Bayo Onanuga, announced his departure for Paris, France, for a retreat to review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administration’s second anniversary.
The president’s departure has faced backlash from Nigerians and the opposition, with former presidential candidate and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore alleging that Tinubu’s trip to France was for medical care, not official business.
In the statement issued by the former Anambra Governor on Wednesday, he emphasized that the primary duty of any government is to secure the lives and property of its citizens and not to while away time in a faraway land.
According to him, “I am compelled at this time in our lives as a nation to call on our retreating President’s attention to the security challenges at home, which entails that he immediately suspend his ongoing retreat in a foreign land and come home to address the overwhelming security situation across the country.”
“This urgent call has become necessary following the rising incidents of crimes and criminality all over Nigeria, with an apparent absence of governance. In the 2 weeks you have been away, over 150 Nigerians have lost their lives to insecurity across Nigeria, especially in Plateau and Zamfara states.”
“The repeated pipeline explosions in the Niger Delta, further reflect a nation in distress. In the North East, Borno state leaders are bemoaning the return of insurgency, with troops and civilians being killed randomly. In the Southeast, the story is the same: killings and abductions.”
“Amid all these, the CEO of the troubled company called Nigeria, is retreating to a faraway land in France from the Company’s headquarters”
“The primary duty of any government is securing the lives and property of its citizens and one wonders the type of retreat going on in another country where their leaders have secured peace while blood continues to flow in our country”.
“The fight for a better Nigeria is not about individuals; it is about ensuring that every citizen can see, feel, and benefit from the policies and decisions of those in power. I, therefore, like to urge Mr President to quickly suspend whatever he is doing in France and rush home to take responsibility by addressing these disturbing issues. That is the new Nigeria that the nation seeks”
