The Labour Party (LP) has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu for traveling to Europe for a holiday at a time when Nigeria is grappling with escalating insecurity, including foreign military involvement in the northern region.
President Tinubu reportedly left Lagos ahead of an official engagement in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he is expected to attend the 2026 edition of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit.
According to Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, the invitation to the summit came directly from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The event is a global forum for leaders in government, business, and civil society to discuss strategies for sustainable development.
Despite this, LP’s acting National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, described the trip as poorly timed and lacking sensitivity to Nigerians enduring violence and humanitarian crises.
Speaking through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, Usman argued that the President should have stayed in the country to manage the nation’s security challenges rather than travel abroad for leisure.
“This is perhaps the worst possible moment for the President to leave the country,” Usman said. “Even the Christmas holiday in Lagos is overshadowed by the recent bomb blast in Zamfara that killed nine people today. Nigeria is facing foreign aggression, and the government’s response downplays the seriousness of the threat.”
She added, “As commander-in-chief, the President’s primary responsibility is to coordinate security responses and protect Nigerian citizens. A holiday at this critical moment sends the wrong message and raises serious questions about leadership priorities.”
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The LP’s statement highlights growing concerns over Nigeria’s security situation, particularly in the northern states, and calls for urgent government action to address both internal and external threats.
