Obi Slams Tinubu’s Absence as Poverty, Hunger Grip Nigeria

Peter Obi has raised fresh concerns over what he described as the absence of presidential leadership amid Nigeria’s worsening socio-economic and security challenges, questioning President Bola Tinubu’s visibility and engagement at a time he said the country is facing a national emergency.

In a statement shared on Monday via his X handle, the former Labour Party presidential candidate asked pointedly, “Where is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?” stressing that the question was “not just a question; it’s a critical demand for accountability in a national emergency.”

Obi painted a grim picture of the country’s condition, warning that by the end of the year Nigeria would have about 140 million people living in extreme poverty, the highest figure globally.

He said the country was contending with “one of the hungriest populations globally,” rising insecurity, massive youth unemployment running into over 80 million, and alarming infant mortality rates, describing Nigeria as “one of the worst places to be born.”

Against this backdrop, Obi queried the President’s whereabouts, alleging that Tinubu spent 196 days abroad in 2025 alone, more time than he reportedly spent within the country, despite what he described as deepening national crises.

He further faulted the President’s silence since December 2025, noting that Nigerians entered the New Year without a presidential address or national broadcast.

According to him, the President was reported to be on holiday in Europe while citizens faced “a New Year marked by hunger, anxiety, and uncertainty,” with no leadership message to offer reassurance or direction.

Obi contrasted the situation with practices in other developing countries, where leaders, he said, visibly engage their citizens during crises.

He expressed concern that after reported United States military strikes on Nigerian soil, the President did not address the nation directly, adding that Nigerians instead learned of the development through foreign media and “vague communications from the Presidency’s aides.”

“This is not governance; it’s neglect,” Obi said, arguing that leadership requires more than press releases.

He also criticised what he described as the President’s repeated foreign engagements while remaining absent domestically, recalling an earlier incident when an AI-generated image was reportedly sent to Nigerians in place of a direct address.

Questioning the state of governance, Obi asked, “Are we to believe Nigeria is being governed, or is it merely being managed from elsewhere?”

He insisted that Nigerians were not demanding perfection but presence, calling for regular, direct engagement through media briefings so citizens could understand the true state of the nation.

He warned that “progress is impossible without unity and consensus,” adding that leadership sets the tone for national cohesion. According to him, when leadership withdraws, unity weakens and society becomes vulnerable to mistrust and division.

“In a time of crisis, the absence of leadership is not just troubling; it is perilous,” Obi said, concluding that “silence in the face of crisis is the loudest form of failure.”