The Labour Party (LP) has criticised President Bola Tinubu for travelling to Europe on holiday at a time Nigeria is facing worsening insecurity, including recent foreign military actions in parts of the North.
Naija News reports that President Tinubu departed Lagos for Europe for his end-of-year vacation ahead of an official visit to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where he is expected to attend the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit.
Confirming the trip, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the journey was undertaken at the invitation of the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. According to him, the summit will bring together global leaders from government, business and civil society to discuss strategies for advancing sustainable development.
However, the opposition Labour Party faulted the timing of the trip, describing it as insensitive to the plight of Nigerians grappling with violent attacks and humanitarian challenges across the country.
Speaking in an interview with Punch, the LP’s Acting National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, said the President ought to have remained in the country to personally oversee security efforts.
Usman, who spoke through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, said, “This is the most inauspicious time for the President to leave the country. Even the Christmas holiday in Lagos seems ill-timed, given that a bomb exploded in Zamfara today, killing nine people.”
She further alleged that Nigeria is facing external aggression and accused the federal government of playing down the gravity of the situation.
“Nigeria is under attack by a foreign nation. No matter how the government tries to frame this, it is a violation of our sovereignty. This is the time for the commander-in-chief to coordinate the response, not embark on a holiday,” she said.
The comments come amid heightened public concern over security challenges in several parts of the country, with opposition parties urging the presidency to demonstrate stronger leadership and empathy in addressing the crisis.
