Tinubu begins 3-week Europe vacation as Obi criticizes timing amid national hardship
President Bola Tinubu has started a three-week vacation in Europe, with London as his first stop, according to the presidency which calls it part of his annual leave ahead of the 2027 election campaign. Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has strongly criticized the timing, arguing that Nigerians are struggling with unaffordable food and transportation costs, worsening insecurity keeping children out of school, and general hardship that demands presidential focus on fixing the country rather than leaving it. Obi stated leadership requires prioritizing citizens' needs over personal rest, questioning the spending of public funds on foreign travel while critical sectors remain underfunded. He suggested Tinubu should instead vacation domestically in destinations like Kano, Katsna, Sokoto, Cross River, Bauchi, or Ebonyi states to promote Nigerian tourism, which he said creates jobs and supports hospitality, agriculture, and small businesses. The presidency maintains the trip is routine annual leave, with Tinubu expected to return to join election campaign activities. This exchange highlights the tension between presidential rest requirements and public expectations of leadership presence during national challenges, particularly as citizens face daily struggles with basic necessities and security.