Saint Lucia Trip Sparked Fireworks: Presidency Fires Back at Peter Obi’s Lamentations

Abuja, The Presidency has strongly pushed back against remarks made by former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent state visit to Saint Lucia as “ill‑timed and insensitive.” The response, described as “misinformed,” “mischievous,” and a form of “lamentations vacant of substance,” was delivered by presidential aides Fredrick Nwabufo and Bayo Onanuga.

Obi’s Accusations: “Not the Time for Holidaying”

In a social media post titled “No, Mr President, this is not the time for holidaying,” Peter Obi questioned the timing of the trip, given mounting crises across Nigeria—ranging from insecurity to natural disasters. He lamented that Nigerians were becoming desperate, grappling with hunger and loss, while the President embarked on what Obi described as a “leisure” trip. 

Obi highlighted recent incidents, including flooding in Minna that claimed over 200 lives and kidnappings, arguing these were ignored while Tinubu was away. 

Presidency’s rebuke: “Tragedy connoisseur” and Strategic Diplomacy

In swift rebuttal, Fredrick Nwabufo took aim at Obi, branding him a “tragedy connoisseur” whose social media complaints lacked substance. He accused Obi of fouling the public discourse with hollow lamentations.

Bayo Onanuga further underscored the diplomatic importance of the trip. He noted that Saint Lucia is more than a tropical getaway—it’s the headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and part of CARICOM, representing some 15 nations with a combined GDP of over US $130 billion. The visit aligns with Nigeria’s “Four D’s” foreign policy pillars—Democracy, Development, Diaspora, Demography—and taps into ancestral and economic ties. 

Onanuga also noted that Saint Lucians expressed genuine excitement, with Nigerian music playing across radio, schools, and public events—signifying people-to-people diplomacy, not just politics.

Why It Matters

• Diplomatic strategy: The visit aims to strengthen ties with the African diaspora and key Caribbean partners.

• Presidential posture: Tinubu’s team emphasized that global engagement complements, rather than competes with, domestic priorities.

• Political optics: Obi’s criticism taps into growing frustration over governance, but the Presidency frames it as political posturing.

Bottom line: What Obi called an unnecessary holiday, the Presidency defends as strategic diplomacy—a mission to connect with the diaspora and deepen South‑South cooperation. With stakes high on both sides, the controversy may shape narratives ahead of the 2027 election cycle.