Obi says Nigeria missing in global leadership as Ghana President shines at UN, prays for Tinubu’s return
The NDC presidential candidate , Mr. Peter Obi, has questioned the continued absence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the United Nations General Assembly for three consecutive years, asking where the President of Africa’s most populous nation is at a time the country faces serious domestic and international challenges.
In a statement issued today Monday, titled “Where Is Nigeria’s President?”, Obi contrasted Nigeria’s representation at the global stage with that of Ghana, whose President, John Dramani Mahama, delivered what he described as a remarkable address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Obi said the international community has commended Mahama’s leadership and the substance of his address, noting that it is a reminder of what leadership can produce when competence, capacity, compassion, commitment and character come together.
“The dynamic President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, delivered a remarkable address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The international community has commended his leadership and the substance of his address. It is a reminder of what leadership can produce when competence, capacity, compassion, commitment and character come together in the service of a nation,” Obi stated.
Against that background, the former Anambra State governor queried why Nigeria’s President has been absent from the global stage for three consecutive UNGAs.
“Against this background, many are asking: Where is the President of Africa’s most populous nation, a country of more than 200 million people – more than Ghana – whose leader has been absent from the global stage for three consecutive UNGAs?” he said.
According to Obi, Nigeria’s President ought to be representing the country and providing leadership for Africa at the international level, but has failed to attend any of the three global gatherings since assuming office.
“Nigeria’s President, who ought to be representing the country and providing leadership for Africa at the international level, has not attended any of these three global gatherings. Where is he, particularly at a time when the country faces significant challenges, both domestically and internationally?” Obi queried.
The former presidential candidate acknowledged that Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at this year’s UNGA, but insisted that the question of the President’s whereabouts remains valid.
“Although our Vice President, Kashim Shettima, was present, the question remains: Where is the President? Let us continue to pray for his return and for his leadership in addressing the many challenges confronting the nation,” he added.
Obi concluded his statement with his signature slogan, “A new Nigeria is POssible.”
The statement has generated reactions on social media, with supporters of the administration defending the President’s decision to take a working vacation in France and delegate the Vice President to attend UNGA, while opposition figures argue that Nigeria is losing its leadership role in Africa.
The Presidency, through the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had earlier on Sunday stated that President Tinubu is hale and hearty and working from France, where he facilitated a $7 billion deep-sea port deal for Ogun State. Onanuga also noted that South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and Egypt’s Abdel Fattah el-Sisi were also absent from UNGA, and that Peter Obi was pretending not to know the President’s whereabouts.
President Tinubu, who embarked on a three-week vacation initially scheduled to end on September 21, is expected to return to Nigeria this week to mark the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary, according to the Presidency.
