“Labour Party Claims Nigeria is on Autopilot Due to Tinubu and Shettima’s Absence”

The Labour Party has criticized President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for leaving the country almost simultaneously.President Tinubu is currently on annual leave in Paris, France, while Vice President Shettima is attending an event in Stockholm, Sweden.

Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, expressed that at the very least, Tinubu should have remained in the country to show empathy, especially after a tragic tanker explosion in Jigawa State that claimed 153 lives.Speaking to Punch, Ifoh said, “This is not an appropriate time for the president to go on a trip, and it’s even worse when both he and the vice president are absent.

It leaves Nigeria running on autopilot.”In a serious country, Ifoh argued, leaders would be held accountable in such situations. He pointed out that the recent deaths in Jigawa occurred while both top officials were out of the country.

Ifoh also attributed the high casualty numbers in the Jigawa explosion to widespread poverty, stating that people were risking their lives to scoop fuel for a meager income, which led to the tragic loss of over a hundred lives. He emphasized that the worsening hunger crisis in Nigeria requires the president to stay in the country and focus on his responsibilities.

He further noted that there is little transparency about Tinubu’s whereabouts, with reports of him traveling to London and elsewhere without clear communication to Nigerians. Ifoh questioned whether such behavior would be acceptable in other developed or developing nations.“Nigerians are facing severe hunger, civil servants are underpaid, universities are on the verge of another strike, and both the health and transport sectors are in a dire state,” Ifoh concluded.