PDP faction criticises Tinubu’s UNGA absence, urges accountability
A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs Kabiru Turaki, has criticised President Bola Tinubu for skipping the 81st United Nations General Assembly and extending his vacation abroad while Nigeria faces rising insecurity, economic challenges and hardship. In a statement issued on Tuesday by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong, they called Tinubu’s absence from the UNGA “disappointing” and urged Nigerians to hold him accountable for prioritising personal leisure over national duties.
The criticism matters because it comes from within the president’s own political sphere amid growing public frustration over insecurity, inflation and declining living standards. The PDP faction argued that Tinubu, having sought the presidency, serves the people and must be questioned when he is absent during crises, especially after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré in Paris instead of proceeding to New York for the UNGA.
Tinubu departed Nigeria on 30 August for a working vacation, spent a week in London, then travelled to Paris where he held meetings. He delegated official functions to Vice‑President Kashim Shettima and Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume. The presidency announced on Monday that his vacation had been extended by a few days, with an expected return by the weekend (around September 26‑27, 2026). The PDP faction urged Nigerians to vote Tinubu out of office in the 2027 presidential election, saying the current administration shows disrespect for citizens’ demands for accountability.
Will you demand more from your leaders when they choose personal time over public service, or accept extended absences as permissible for a sitting president?