Tuesday, September 1, 2026 - The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has taken a swipe at President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima over their recent travels outside the country
Sowore, who spoke during a press conference,
criticised the leadership of the country and questioned the benefits Nigerians
derive from the government even when the President and Vice President are
physically present in the country.
He jokingly said Nigerians should regard him
as the “interim president” while the two leaders are away.
According to him, the absence of the President
and Vice President should not be the major concern because, in his view, the
government has failed to adequately address the challenges confronting
Nigerians.
“These guys don’t care about the country. But
I don’t want to stress the nation. The question is, even when they are in the
country, what are they doing for it?” Sowore asked.
He added: “They’ve left you to your fate. Just
take it that Sowore is the interim president while they are gone. So you can
report to me if you need anything.
“But on a serious note, these guys are not
doing anything for you when they are around.”
Sowore linked his criticism to his
longstanding opposition to the government’s economic policies, particularly the
removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that the country’s political leadership enjoys
privileges that remain beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians.
He claimed that Tinubu could afford to embark
on several vacations in a year while Nigerians struggle to meet basic needs.
“The President of Nigeria can go on vacation
three times a year. I think this might be his third vacation this year alone.
But the Nigerian people can’t go on vacation because they’re earning miserable
wages,” he said.
The human rights activist also criticised the
state of Nigeria’s healthcare system, contrasting the ability of political
leaders to seek medical attention abroad with the difficulties faced by
ordinary citizens in accessing quality healthcare within the country
“They can’t go to hospitals even in their
country, but the President can fly to European capitals to get the best
treatment he wants,” Sowore said.
He alleged that Nigerian leaders could travel
abroad for specialised medical care while citizens were left to contend with
hospitals that often lacked the capacity to properly diagnose and treat their
ailments.
According to him, the President’s absence from
the country reflects a broader failure of leadership. He insisted that
Nigerians must decide whether they want to continue with the prevailing
situation.
“And this is a big question for you. Do you
want to continue your life like this?” he asked.
The comments came after Tinubu departed Abuja
for Europe to begin a three-week vacation as part of his annual leave.
Watch the video of him speaking below:
“Take me as your Interim President” OMOYELE SOWORE reacts to TINUBU's numerous foreign trips pic.twitter.com/pMD9a0pCjH
— DAILY POST 🇳🇬 (@dailypost_ng) September 1, 2026
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