The Labour Party (LP) has criticized President Bola Tinubu for his frequent international trips, warning that his prolonged absences are damaging during Nigeria’s economic and security crisis.
Tony Akeni, LP’s interim national publicity secretary, said Tinubu’s current 10-day working holiday in France and the UK reflects his “allergy to staying at home to tackle the nation’s problems.”
Akeni noted that Tinubu has traveled overseas for about 160 days in less than two years. He linked the trips to worsening hardship, pointing to World Bank figures showing 135 million Nigerians fell into poverty in Tinubu’s first 18 months in office.
He added that Nigeria records an average of 57 violent killings daily, higher than the 50 per day in war-torn Ukraine. The Labour Party argued that the president’s frequent trips amounts to “medical and social tourism” that drains public resources.
The ruling APC defended Tinubu, stressing that governance continues regardless of his location. Party spokesperson Seye Oladejo said Tinubu remains in constant contact with his economic and security teams while abroad.
“Governance does not halt because a leader takes time to rest; especially in today’s era of secure, real-time communication,” Oladejo explained.
