NEWS
“President Tinubu Has Not Slept Three Nights Anywhere In Nigeria…“ — Peter Obi Says
…says “As President, I’ll Spend My Holidays in Nigeria, Not Europe“
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has declared that if elected president, he will spend his vacations within Nigeria rather than travelling abroad, arguing that the country’s leaders must remain connected to the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.
Obi made the remarks during an exclusive interview on Arise TV, where he outlined what he described as a different approach to presidential leadership and accountability.
According to the former Anambra State governor, the idea of Nigerian presidents spending their holidays abroad should be discontinued, insisting that the president should use vacation periods to travel across the country and experience conditions in different states firsthand.
“Look the idea will start from me and people will say it.
“Nigeria’s President must spend his vacation in Nigeria.
“We cannot continue with this nonsense. Where does other countries’ own spend their vacation? Nigeria President should go to Zamfara, to Borno, to Anambra, to anywhere.”
When interviewer Ojy asked whether he meant the president should visit areas affected by Boko Haram insurgency, Obi answered in the affirmative.
“Ojy: Where there is Boko Haran?
“Obi: Yes, because that’s the country he leads, that’s where he lives.”
Obi argued that Nigeria’s president should not routinely leave the country for holidays while citizens continue to confront insecurity, poor infrastructure and other challenges at home.
He drew a comparison with political leaders in other countries, saying such conduct would attract serious criticism elsewhere.
“It is from here, he takes our money to Europe.
“Do you know what it means for the British Prime Minister to say he is going for vacation in Germany? That will be the end of him.”
Obi stressed that although he would travel abroad for official diplomatic engagements as president, he would deliberately keep his personal holidays within Nigeria.
“That’s why I want us to bring back those kind of systems here.
“As President of Nigeria, I will visit other countries but I will not take my holidays there.”
The NDC candidate also took aim at President Bola Tinubu’s visits to states affected by insecurity and other crises, arguing that such trips should go beyond brief visits to meet victims or officials.
Obi claimed that during some of Tinubu’s visits, the president encountered problems such as inadequate electricity and poor roads, which, according to him, are issues the federal government should be working to resolve.
“President Tinubu has not slept three nights anywhere in Nigeria. He went to Jos, stayed at the airport, to see people who had lost their loved ones, they brought those people to him. He was even telling them he was running out because there was no light. Which he is supposed to provide.”
He similarly referenced Tinubu’s visit to Benue State, arguing that the president should have remained in the state for several days to engage stakeholders over the killings and security challenges.
“He went to Benue did the same thing, said there was no road. A road he is supposed to provide?”
Obi said his preferred approach would involve spending more time in affected communities, meeting traditional rulers, political leaders, religious authorities and other stakeholders in an effort to develop lasting solutions.
“When he went to Benue, he is supposed to say I am here, for the next 3 days, I want to see the stakeholders to discuss these killings, when he would have done the same thing in Jos. Do the same thing in Kano.”
He also recalled Tinubu’s movement to Lagos during the Sallah period and contrasted it with what he said he would do as president.
“During Sallah, he went to Lagos, he is a Muslim. I will go to the Sultan in Sokoto and bring everybody together so that we can discuss the future.”
Obi’s comments add a new dimension to the ongoing political debate ahead of the 2027 elections, as he continues to present his proposed presidency as one centred on closer engagement with Nigerians and greater attention to challenges across the country.
His proposed model would see presidential travel within Nigeria serve not merely as ceremonial visits but as opportunities for the nation’s leader to directly assess insecurity, infrastructure, electricity, governance and other pressing concerns in different parts of the country.