Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Celebration presidential candidate within the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has questioned the whereabouts of President Bola Tinubu amid what he described as deepening {economic} hardship, insecurity and management silence in Nigeria.
In a press release posted on his verified X account on Monday, Obi mentioned his concern was pushed by the size of challenges confronting the nation and the perceived absence of direct presidential engagement at a crucial time.
He framed the query as “a crucial demand for accountability in a nationwide emergency.”
“As we strategy the top of this 12 months, Nigeria will likely be dwelling to roughly 140 million folks residing in excessive poverty — the best quantity on this planet,” the ex-governor mentioned, including that the nation is grappling with widespread starvation, worsening insecurity and mass unemployment amongst younger folks.
He additional claimed that Nigeria stays “one of many worst locations to be born,” citing excessive toddler mortality charges, and questioned the President’s visibility within the midst of those challenges.
“Within the midst of this chaos, the place has our President been?” he requested.
Obi alleged that President Tinubu spent 196 days outdoors the nation in 2025, asserting that this exceeded the time he spent inside Nigeria throughout the identical interval. He additionally claimed that Nigerians had not heard immediately from the President since December 2025.
“Stories point out he opted for a vacation in Europe whereas the nation was plunged right into a New 12 months marked by starvation, nervousness, and uncertainty,” Obi mentioned, noting that there was no New 12 months handle or nationwide broadcast to reassure residents.
He criticised what he described because the President’s silence following main nationwide and worldwide developments affecting Nigeria, arguing that Nigerians usually realized about crucial occasions from overseas media reasonably than from their very own chief.
“As a substitute of immediately addressing the nation, Nigerians realized about these crucial occasions from overseas media, American officers, and the obscure communications from the Presidency’s aides,” Obi mentioned, including, “This isn’t governance; it’s neglect.”
The previous governor harassed that management required visibility, direct communication and engagement with residents, particularly during times of disaster. “Management shouldn’t be merely issuing press releases; it’s about standing earlier than the folks, participating with them, and providing readability,” he mentioned.
Obi argued that sustained silence from management weakens nationwide unity and belief, warning that “when management withdraws, unity falters, and the material of our society unravels.”
“In a time of disaster, the absence of management isn’t just troubling; it’s perilous,” he mentioned, concluding that “silence within the face of disaster is the loudest type of failure.”
THE POINT had on Sunday reported that President Tinubu arrived in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Sunday forward of his participation within the 2026 version of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), which begins on Monday, January 12.
A press release by Bayo Onanuga, Particular Adviser on Data and Technique to the President, had disclosed that the Tinubu’s aircraft landed on the Presidential Wing of Zayed Worldwide Airport at precisely 11:30 pm native time.
“He was obtained by Sheikh Shakhboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State for International Affairs; the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi; Nigeria’s Minister of International Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar; and members of the Nigerian diplomatic mission in Abu Dhabi.
A number of different ministers, together with the Minister of Funds and Planning, Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of Trade, Commerce and Funding, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; and the Director-Common of the Nationwide Intelligence Company, Ambassador Muhammed Muhammed, welcomed President Tinubu at his resort.
President Tinubu arrived in Abu Dhabi from Europe, the place he spent a part of his end-of-year break, participating in fruitful discussions with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, with the theme “The Nexus of Subsequent, All Programs Go,” is a world platform that brings collectively world leaders, policymakers, buyers, and consultants to advance dialogue and motion on sustainable growth, local weather motion, power transition, and inclusive {economic} progress.
This go to additional reinforces the sturdy diplomatic and {economic} ties between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates, whereas positioning Nigeria as an lively contributor to international conversations on sustainable growth,” Onanuga had mentioned.
Though the presidency has not responded to Obi’s queries and claims as on the time of this report, Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide, dismissed Obi’s claims that President Tinubu has not been participating with Nigerians immediately as lies.
He described Obi’s assertion towards the President as a “new low.”
Addresing the ADC chieftain, Omokri mentioned, “I learn your most up-to-date assault on the President, and it was a brand new low, even for you, and grossly irresponsible. Saying that no one is aware of the place the President is is a lie. You, and each different Nigerian who follows the information, know exactly the place President Bola Tinubu is, as a result of the Presidency was open and clear about it.”
Clarifying the President’s whereabouts, he mentioned, “President Bola Tinubu is presently in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Due to this fact, your query is mischievous and displays, as soon as once more, your desperation to be President by any means needed, together with intentionally deceptive the general public about their President.”
“On the precise allegation you made, to wit that “Since December 2025, Nigerians haven’t heard a phrase from their President”, that could be a very blatant lie.
President Bola Tinubu addressed the nation in a New 12 months’s Day broadcast. Earlier than that, the President visited Nigerian residents in Borno, Bauchi, and Lagos States from Saturday, December 21, 2025, to Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
Whereas on these visits, the President attended the marriage ceremony of Sadeeq Sheriff, son of the previous Governor of the State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, and his betrothed, Hadiza Kam Salem, in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Thereafter, he visited Bauchi State to condole with the household of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, earlier than flying to Lagos, the place he combined with on a regular basis Nigerians, following which he went on a brief trip as allowed by the Structure.
It’s grossly inappropriate and dishonest of you to time period this as “neglect”,” he mentioned.
“Additionally, your characterisation of the President’s worldwide travels as a dereliction of obligation reveals your poor grasp of statecraft. Let me educate you a bit.
Your mentor, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, spent 342 days travelling overseas within the eight years that he ruled Nigeria, but you have fun him. That’s one complete 12 months out of eight years!
Thoughts you, this was throughout the time of the Sharia Disaster and the Niger-Delta Militancy.
It was due to these travels that President Obasanjo secured debt reduction for Nigeria.
A President can’t sit in his personal nation and count on the investments that can make his nation nice to return to him.
That’s the reason President Tinubu engages in shuttle diplomacy. And we’re seeing the outcome.
The President attended the BRICS Summit in Brazil in July and returned with a $2.5 billion funding in Nigeria by Brazilian meat producer JBS.
The President additionally travelled to Qatar, and now Qatari buyers have pledged to speculate $300 billion in Nigeria.
Such visits are why, in lower than two years, President Tinubu added $67 billion to Nigeria’s GDP, shifting us from a ₦269.29 trillion economic system on Could 29, 2023, when he turned President, to ₦372.8 trillion right this moment.
It is usually why Nigeria skilled a surge in overseas portfolio funding in 2025, with mixed overseas funding reaching practically $14 billion between Q1 and Q3 2025.
All of those noticed Nigeria delivering a projected GDP progress of 4.1% in 2025.
That you simply have no idea that is proof, as soon as once more, that you’re a dealer, not a frontrunner, and you might be higher off working a stall at Onitsha Market than main a rustic as advanced as Nigeria!” Reno Omokri posited in a press release he issued and made public on his verified social media handles on Monday.