‘NIGERIANS ARE TIRED OF PRESS RELEASES’: PETER OBI QUESTIONS WHEREABOUTS OF PRESIDENT TINUBU

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has raised fresh concerns over the whereabouts and visibility of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying Nigerians are facing severe national challenges without clear leadership presence or direct communication from the President.

In a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, Obi alleged that President Tinubu spent more days outside Nigeria in 2025 than within the country, despite worsening economic and security conditions at home.

According to Obi, Nigeria is currently grappling with widespread hunger, deepening poverty, rising insecurity, massive youth unemployment, and alarming infant mortality rates, yet the President has remained largely unavailable.

He said Nigerians are tired of governance through press statements and aides’ briefings, stressing that the country needs the President’s direct voice and physical presence.

Obi stated that Nigerians are living in uncertainty, adding that there has been no national broadcast, New Year address, or reassuring leadership message from the President since December 2025.

He criticised what he described as the President’s silence on major national and international developments affecting Nigeria, noting that citizens often learn of critical issues through foreign media rather than from their own government.

In his statement titled “Where is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?”, Obi said Nigeria is projected to have about 140 million people living in extreme poverty, making it the country with the highest number of extremely poor people globally.

He further lamented that while Nigerians were facing hunger, insecurity, and anxiety at the start of the New Year, the President reportedly travelled abroad for a holiday, without addressing the nation.

Obi also criticised the administration’s communication style, describing it as detached and insufficient, and warned that leadership by absence weakens national unity and trust.

According to him, leadership requires visibility, accountability, and direct engagement with citizens, not silence or reliance on press releases.

He concluded by stating that Nigeria cannot afford absent leadership at a time of crisis, warning that silence in moments of national distress amounts to failure and puts the country at risk.

“We are not asking for perfection; we demand presence,” Obi said, insisting that Nigerians deserve clarity, reassurance, and strong leadership during challenging times.