The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the announcement of President Bola Tinubu’s cancellation of his planned trip to South Africa and Angola as another media stunt aimed at currying public favour and sympathy, rather than confronting the urgent task of securing lives and property across Nigeria.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong in a statement issued Thursday said his announcement stood as the latest and boldest example of tokenism.
According to him, While the decision may appear to be in sympathy with the kidnapping of the Maga schoolgirls and the escalating insecurity across the country, particularly in northern Nigeria, it remains a mere perfunctory gesture and nothing more.
The opposition party said if the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Presidency disagrees with this position, it called on Tinubu to temporarily relocate to Kebbi State and other theatres of armed conflict in Northern Nigeria.
Such a move, Ememobong noted, would not only challenge the security agencies to act more decisively in ending the ongoing carnage, but would also boost the morale of the troops on the frontlines.
He added that as President and Commander-in-Chief, Tinubu must not recline in the comfort of the Presidential Villa at a time when 25 schoolgirls have been abducted and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Ememobong stressed that he must demonstrate leadership by leading from the front, as true leaders do in moments of grave national challenge.
He added: “The recent attacks in Kwara State further support our assertion that insecurity and fear have become the daily lived experience and new reality of Nigerians across the country.
“Yet the APC-led administration continues to issue outright denials, rationalised explanations, empty assurances, and other superficial gestures such as the President’s cancelled trip.
“Without further strategic actions, this trip cancellation will amount to nothing more than another media stunt aimed at currying public favour and sympathy, rather than confronting the urgent task of securing lives and property across Nigeria.
“If this were a political crisis, (like the Rivers State case), President Tinubu would have deployed all strategies and resources, within and outside the law, to find a solution.
“We hereby put the President and his administration on notice that Nigerians are tired of symbolic gestures such as sympathy statements and trip cancellations. “What the nation urgently requires is decisive leadership, strategic action, and effective support for the security forces, especially those at the front lines, rather than cosmetic efforts designed to score political points.”
The party maintained that the safety of Nigerians cannot be reduced to mere theatrics, saying the leadership must rise above optics and deliver tangible, consistent action that restores public confidence and protects lives and property.
It insisted that this situation demands seriousness, not symbolism and the Presidency must rise to the occasion or make way for those who can.