Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has raised concerns over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's frequent foreign travels, claiming that the president spent about 196 out of the 365 days in 2025 outside Nigeria.

Obi, in a post on his official X handle on Monday, said the prolonged absence amounted to a serious leadership gap at a time the country was battling worsening poverty, hunger, insecurity and unemployment.

He described Nigeria's situation as a national emergency, noting that about 140 million Nigerians will be living in extreme poverty by the end of 2026, the highest number globally, while millions of youths remained unemployed and food insecurity deepened.

"In the midst of this chaos, where has our President been? Spending 196 days abroad in 2025 alone--more than he has spent within his own country, at a time when we face profound crises," he said.

He also criticised what he described as the president's silence since December 2025, alleging that Nigerians had not heard directly from him through a national broadcast or New Year address as the country entered the year amid uncertainty and hardship.

"In a time of crisis, the absence of leadership is perilous," he added.