Saint Lucia: Stop Fouling This Space With Your Lamentations – Presidency Fires Back At Peter Obi

The presidency has condemned Peter Obi’s criticism of the recent foreign trip embarked upon by President Bola Tinubu, describing the former Anambra Governor’s submissions as unnecessary lamentations.

Naijaonpoint recalls that the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had criticised President Bola Tinubu’s trip to Saint Lucia and Brazil for the BRICS summit.

The former Governor described the trip as a grave misstep at a time when Nigerians face deep economic deprivation and widespread insecurity.

In a post via 𝕏 on Saturday, Obi wrote that Tinubu’s travel arrangements reveal a misplaced agenda prioritising political optics over citizens’ urgent needs.

However, in a statement on Sunday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement, Fredrick Nwabufo, the government justified Tinubu’s most recent foreign trip, saying it is targeted at strengthening Nigeria’s engagement with Caribbean nations and strengthen South-South cooperation.

It cautioned Obi against spreading pessimism about Tinubu’s efforts to reposition Nigeria in a positive light globally, adding that the former LP presidential candidate is prone to throwing public tantrums.

The statement added that President Tinubu is the visionary who sees Nigeria for its immense greatness and who has returned the nation to global reckoning.

Below is the full response.

“Dear Mr Obi,

“You have cut quite the figure of a tragedy connoisseur, consistently fouling this space with lamentations vacant of substance and facts. You are not to be indulged as your frequent tantrums are obviously headline-grabbing performances. But I will state thus:

1. President Tinubu is on an official visit to Saint Lucia, which serves as the headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

2. The aim of the visit is to deepen Nigeria’s engagement with Caribbean nations and strengthen South-South cooperation.

3. Saint Lucia is an important gateway to the Caribbean as Nigeria deepens cooperation with the region.

4. The 15 Caribbean states and members of CARICOM cumulatively have a GDP of over $130 billion.

5. Citizens of Saint Lucia are very excited about the President’s visit as it is a historic and consequential visit.

6. Nigeria and citizens of the Caribbean share strong cultural affinity.

7. Nigeria, by the design of nature and history, has a leadership role to play not only in Africa but in every corner of the world where there are Africans.

8. President Tinubu is the visionary who sees Nigeria for its immense greatness and who has returned the nation to global reckoning.

9. The world is paying more attention to Nigeria for good reasons. Effective domestic leadership, reinforced with a deliberate and well-designed foreign policy, reflects favourably on global perception.

10. The President’s broad-minded and enlightened leadership at home is colouring the grey canvas of global disinterestedness.

11. Nigeria is in good stead to lead.