The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda, has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s frequent foreign travels, saying the President’s experience and global exposure allow him to achieve in one day what others may take a year to accomplish.
Yilwatda made the remarks on Sunday night during an interview with Daily Trust, amid mounting criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups over the President’s prolonged stays outside Nigeria.
According to the APC chairman, Tinubu’s international connections and depth of experience place him in a unique position to secure strategic outcomes quickly.
He said the President’s ability to build relationships and negotiate at the highest levels explains why his foreign engagements should not be viewed negatively.
Yilwatda argued that Tinubu’s trips were sacrifices made in the national interest rather than personal convenience.
He said the President travels to attract foreign investment, strengthen security cooperation and negotiate bilateral agreements that benefit Nigeria.
The APC chairman questioned why such efforts should be taken for granted, insisting that the trips were part of Tinubu’s responsibility as head of state.
Yilwatda also accused the media and opposition parties of focusing disproportionately on the President’s travels while ignoring similar movements by other top government officials.
He said only the President’s trips were counted and criticised, even though other senior officials also undertook foreign engagements.
He cited the Vice President’s travels to Davos, Switzerland and other countries in January, noting that they did not attract the same level of scrutiny.
Despite the defence by the APC leadership, official records show that President Tinubu spent a significant amount of time outside the country in January 2026.
A review of announced trips indicates that the President spent 22 days abroad during the month.
Within that period, he visited France, the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Türkiye.
Tinubu began the year in Paris, where he spent the first 10 days of January.
He later travelled to Abu Dhabi on January 11 to attend the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit.
The President returned to Nigeria on January 17 and stayed until January 26.
He then departed for a state visit to the Republic of Türkiye, where he spent six days.
Tinubu returned to Abuja on January 31.
During the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, Nigeria signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the United Arab Emirates.
Under the agreement, the UAE committed to eliminating tariffs on more than 7,000 Nigerian agricultural and industrial products.
Similarly, during the state visit to Türkiye, Nigeria and Turkey signed multiple bilateral agreements.
The agreements covered areas such as diaspora policy, defence cooperation, trade and economic collaboration, higher education, media and communication, diplomacy training and halal quality infrastructure.
The President’s January 2026 trips followed a series of foreign engagements undertaken throughout 2025.
During that year, Tinubu travelled to at least 10 countries for state visits, summits, diplomatic meetings and private working engagements.
His first trip in 2025 was to Ghana for the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama.
He later travelled to the UAE for the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit and to Tanzania for the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit.
In February, Tinubu visited France on a private working trip and proceeded to Ethiopia for the African Union Heads of State and Government Summit.
In April, he undertook working visits to France and the United Kingdom.
In May, he travelled to Italy and attended the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.
Later in the year, the President visited Saint Lucia on a state visit and then travelled to Brazil for the BRICS Summit.
In August, he attended the Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Japan before another visit to Brazil.
In September, Tinubu spent 10 days on a working vacation between France and the United Kingdom.
According to his spokesman, the period combined rest with strategic consultations.
In December, the President again travelled to Europe for a year-end break ahead of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit.
The President’s travel pattern has continued to attract criticism from opposition parties.
The African Democratic Congress said Nigeria’s current challenges required a president who was more present in the country.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the frequent trips were fuelling speculation and public concern.
He said the scale of challenges at home did not permit what he described as a “visiting president.”
The Peoples Democratic Party also urged Tinubu to prioritise domestic governance.
PDP spokesman Ini Ememobong said Nigerians deserved full disclosure about the reasons for the President’s frequent travels.
He argued that insecurity, economic hardship and other urgent issues required the President’s attention at home.
Several civil society organisations also expressed concern over the frequency, cost and impact of the foreign trips.
Kolawole Omoniyi of the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education said international engagement was important but warned that leadership should not be remote.
He urged the National Assembly to scrutinise the cost and outcomes of the President’s travels.
Akibu Hamisu of the Resource Management for Accountability Centre described the trips as alarming and largely unproductive.
He said many of the engagements could be handled by ministers or ambassadors.
Other civil society leaders warned that the President’s frequent absence amid insecurity, inflation and unemployment could undermine public confidence.
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi also criticised Tinubu for spending most of January outside Nigeria.
Obi said insecurity, kidnappings, power grid failures and disruptions in education worsened while the President was abroad.
He alleged that Tinubu often returned briefly before travelling again.
The APC, however, maintains that the President’s travels are yielding strategic benefits and remain necessary for Nigeria’s global engagement.
