…Obi described his question as “a necessary call for accountability in the midst of a national emergency.”
ANAMBRA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has raised concerns over the whereabouts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu amid what he described as worsening economic hardship, insecurity and a troubling silence from national leadership.
In a statement shared on his verified X handle on Monday, Obi said his remarks were prompted by the magnitude of the challenges facing the country and what he sees as a lack of visible presidential engagement at a critical moment. Obi described his question as “a necessary call for accountability in the midst of a national emergency.”
Obi noted that as the year draws to a close, an estimated 140 million Nigerians are living in extreme poverty, the highest figure globally, while the country continues to battle widespread hunger, escalating insecurity and growing unemployment, particularly among the youth. He also pointed to high infant mortality rates, describing Nigeria as “one of the worst places to be born,” and questioned the President’s public presence in the face of these realities.
“Amid all this turmoil, where is our President?” he asked.
The former governor further alleged that President Tinubu spent about 196 days outside the country in 2025, claiming this was more time than he spent within Nigeria during the same period. He added that Nigerians have not heard directly from the President since December 2025.
According to Obi, reports suggest that the President chose to holiday in Europe while the country entered a new year weighed down by hunger, fear and uncertainty, without a New Year address or national broadcast to reassure citizens.
He also criticised what he described as the President’s silence on major national and international developments affecting Nigeria, arguing that citizens often learn of critical issues through foreign media and officials rather than from their own leader.
“Rather than addressing the nation directly, Nigerians are left to rely on foreign media, statements from American officials and vague briefings from presidential aides,” Obi said, adding that “this is not leadership; it is neglect.”
Obi stressed that effective leadership demands visibility, open communication and active engagement with citizens, especially in times of crisis. He warned that prolonged silence from those in authority undermines trust and national cohesion.
“When leadership retreats, unity weakens and the social fabric begins to fray,” he said, concluding that “in moments of crisis, the absence of leadership is dangerous, and silence in the face of hardship is the loudest form of failure.”
