Presidency Fires Back at Peter Obi Over Criticism of Tinubu’s Saint Lucia Visit
A fierce rebuttal has emerged in response to Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi’s recent criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s visit to Saint Lucia. The former Anambra governor had taken to social media to question the President’s commitment to governance, stating:
“No, Mr President, this is not the time for holidaying… I am struggling with my senses to understand what is happening to governance.”
However, the Presidency has dismissed Obi’s remarks as sensational and baseless, accusing him of turning public discourse into a theatre of lamentation.
“Dear Mr Obi, you have cut quite the figure of a tragedy connoisseur, consistently fouling this space with lamentations vacant of substance and facts,” the response read, adding that Obi’s frequent outbursts were “headline-grabbing performances” lacking depth.
The official clarified that President Tinubu is currently on an official visit to Saint Lucia, which serves as the headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Contrary to the claim that the President is holidaying, the visit is part of Nigeria’s diplomatic agenda to deepen engagement with Caribbean nations and strengthen South-South cooperation.
Saint Lucia is considered a strategic gateway to the Caribbean, and Nigeria’s outreach to the region is seen as a vital step in expanding its global influence. The 15 Caribbean nations under the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) collectively boast a GDP exceeding $130 billion, highlighting the economic and geopolitical value of the relationship.
According to the statement, citizens of Saint Lucia have expressed genuine excitement over the President’s arrival, describing it as a historic and consequential visit. It also emphasized that Nigeria and the Caribbean share strong cultural bonds, rooted in shared ancestry and mutual values. This connection, the statement noted, affirms Nigeria’s natural leadership role among nations of the global South.
In a separate earlier post now widely circulated online, the same individual had asserted that the world is paying more attention to Nigeria for good reasons. Effective domestic leadership, reinforced by a deliberate and well-designed foreign policy, was said to be reflecting favourably on global perception.
The commentary further described the President’s leadership as broad-minded and enlightened, adding that such governance at home is colouring the grey canvas of global disinterestedness. It concluded with a confident declaration that Nigeria is in good stead to lead.
The sharp exchange between both figures has since sparked widespread debate across social media platforms, as citizens weigh the balance between foreign diplomacy and pressing domestic governance concerns in a time of economic uncertainty.
