The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu for extending his working vacation in Europe, arguing that the head of state should instead be in Nigeria addressing the country’s pressing security and economic crises. In a statement released by Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee, the opposition party faulted the President for also missing the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently representing Nigeria.
The PDP described the President’s continued absence as occurring at a particularly difficult time for Nigerians, who are grappling with widespread insecurity, economic hardship, and a growing sense of hopelessness. The party asserted that if Tinubu is not physically present in the country to solve its problems, he should be at the UNGA seeking international assistance for Nigeria.
“If the President is not in Nigeria solving the problems of the country, he should be at UNGA seeking international help for the country,” the PDP stated.
The opposition party emphasized that citizens have the right to question how the President is discharging the responsibilities of his office, noting that Tinubu became accountable to the electorate upon taking the oath of office. The PDP specifically questioned why the President, while already in Europe, did not travel to the United States to attend the global gathering and leverage the platform to seek support for Nigeria, labeling his decision to remain on vacation as “difficult to reconcile” with the nation's challenges.
The party further warned that the President’s actions constitute a significant insult to the presidential mandate and urged Nigerians to keep this issue in mind when making their choices at the next presidential election. The PDP argued that the country requires a leader who is prepared to work conscientiously both within Nigeria and on the international stage.
“This must guide our choices at the ballot in January, during the presidential elections, because we need a President who is ready, willing and able to work conscientiously for our country, locally and internationally,” the statement concluded. In response to the criticism, the Presidency maintained that Tinubu’s absence from the UNGA would not negatively impact Nigeria’s participation in the global assembly.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
