RismadarVoice Reporters
January 12, 2026
The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, has questioned the whereabouts of President Bola Tinubu, expressing concern over what he described as an absence of leadership amid worsening socio-economic conditions in Nigeria.
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Monday, Obi said the country was facing what he termed a national emergency, alleging that the President had spent a significant amount of time outside Nigeria.
“Where is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?” Obi asked, describing the question as a “critical demand for accountability in a national emergency.”
He claimed that about 140 million Nigerians are living in extreme poverty, while the nation continues to grapple with hunger, rising insecurity and an unemployment crisis affecting over 80 million youths.
According to the former Anambra State Governor, the President had allegedly spent 196 days outside the country in 2025 alone.
“In the midst of this chaos, where has our President been?” Obi queried, adding that Nigerians had not heard from the President since December 2025.
He further alleged that there was no New Year address or national broadcast to reassure citizens during what he described as a period marked by hunger, anxiety and uncertainty.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu departed Lagos on December 28 for Europe as part of his end-of-year break. He later arrived in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday to attend the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, following an invitation from UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Obi stressed that Nigerians deserve transparency and clear communication from their leaders, noting that national progress depends on unity, consensus, strong leadership.
“In a time of crisis, the absence of leadership is not just troubling; it is perilous. Silence in the face of crisis is the loudest form of failure,” he concluded.
