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President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima
The frequent foreign trips by President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, who described the travels as wasteful and insensitive to Nigeria’s current economic struggles.
The Coalition of United Political Parties, Peoples Democratic Party, and New Nigeria Peoples Party all expressed concern over what they described as the President and his deputy’s excessive travels abroad.
Their criticism followed President Tinubu’s departure on Wednesday for a two-week “working leave” in France. Just a day later, on Thursday, Vice President Shettima left the country for Senegal to attend the country’s Independence Day celebrations.
CUPP National Secretary, Peter Ahmeh, stated that President Tinubu’s frequent foreign trips have created a leadership vacuum, negatively impacting various sectors in Nigeria.
In an interview with The PUNCH, Ahmeh emphasised that Nigeria cannot achieve its national goals with such a high frequency of foreign travels.
“This is a total disregard for administrative or constitutional procedures. When one is not in town, the other should take over. But when both are away, there’s no one to manage the country’s affairs, creating gaps in the economy, security, and other sectors,” Ahmeh explained. “With their traveling habits, there’s no way we can achieve the results we desire. The country needs a president who is focused on governing, not one who takes advantage of the system.”
He further criticised the President for his frequent trips abroad, questioning whether France had become Nigeria’s “second home.”
“It’s saddening. Many Nigerians feel the same. There is no leadership or direction, just instability and no growth or economic prosperity,” he added.
PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, also weighed in, calling the constant travels by both leaders a sign of irresponsibility and a lack of commitment to the Nigerian people.
Osadolor called on President Tinubu to be transparent about his health, suggesting that his frequent trips abroad may be related to medical treatment.
“These travels show a lack of seriousness. The President and his vice are supposed to be serving the people of Nigeria, but they seem to be prioritising their personal needs over national governance,” Osadolor stated. “In an ideal situation, ambassadors or foreign ministers should handle many of these events. It’s unnecessary for the president to attend every event abroad.”
Osadolor also raised concerns about the President’s transparency regarding his health, suggesting that his frequent travels to France for check-ups were contributing to the perception of neglect among Nigerians.
“I believe the President should be more transparent with the people. He should realise he was elected to manage the economy and represent the citizens, not to live a lavish lifestyle abroad,” he added.
NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, voiced similar concerns, criticising the President and Vice President for leaving the country “on autopilot” while Nigerians continue to face numerous challenges.
“The constant overseas travels, especially during times of economic hardship, give a poor impression of leadership. It feels like we’re on our own. The country seems to be running without any direction,” Johnson stated. “The optics are terrible, and the people feel abandoned by those in power.”
He urged President Tinubu to reconsider his approach, suggesting that he should focus more on serving the Nigerian people rather than prioritizing foreign engagements.
“My advice to the President is simple: he should realise he has little to show for the last two years. It’s time to press the reset button and start truly serving the people, as promised,” Johnson stated.
In response to the criticisms, a senior official in the Presidency, who asked not to be named, dismissed the allegations saying both principal officers are on legitimate missions abroad.
“Yes, the President and Vice President are out of the country for legitimate reasons.
“This has happened before and the country did not grind to a halt,” the official asserted.
The official argued that governance in the modern age is not dependent on physical presence.
“It is the right of the opposition to speak, to oppose. It is their right.
“But the world has moved beyond needing someone to be around before they do their duties. Is Shettima or Tinubu a minister?” the presidency official queried.
