The Labour Party (LP) has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his decision to travel to Europe for the end-of-year holidays, describing the move as poorly timed and insensitive in the face of Nigeria’s growing security challenges.
It will be recalled that President Tinubu departed Lagos for Europe ahead of an official engagement in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he is expected to attend the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit. According to a statement released on Sunday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the trip was made at the invitation of the UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The summit is a major international gathering that brings together world leaders from government, business, and civil society to discuss and promote sustainable development initiatives.
Despite this explanation, the Labour Party has expressed strong reservations about the timing of the President’s trip. Speaking in an interview, the party’s Acting National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, condemned the journey, arguing that it shows a lack of compassion for citizens currently affected by violence, displacement, and insecurity across different parts of the country.
Usman, who spoke through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Asogwa, insisted that the President ought to have remained in Nigeria to personally oversee and coordinate efforts to address the worsening security situation. She further alleged that the country is facing external aggression, accusing the federal government of failing to adequately acknowledge the seriousness of the threat.
According to her, the President’s absence comes at a particularly troubling moment, as fresh attacks continue to claim lives. She pointed to a recent explosion in Zamfara State that reportedly killed several people, describing it as evidence that the nation is in crisis and requires the full attention of its leader.
The Labour Party maintained that, regardless of how the government explains recent security incidents, any form of foreign involvement in Nigeria’s internal security challenges amounts to an infringement on the country’s sovereignty. The party concluded that this period calls for decisive leadership and active engagement from the commander-in-chief, rather than overseas travel for leisure or official events.
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