Hamburg, Germany 5th Sept. 2025
Hon. (Dr.) Kenneth Chibuogwu Gbandi, African Democratic Congress (ADC) Diaspora Leader and Nigeria’s longest-serving, most impactful Diaspora leader, has issued a strong reaction to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to embark on a 10-day annual vacation in Europe amidst one of Nigeria’s most challenging economic periods.
Speaking to Heritage Media Group from Hamburg, Germany, Gbandi described the trip as a missed opportunity to demonstrate patriotism, inspire confidence in Nigeria’s own tourism potential, and send a message of solidarity with millions of Nigerians enduring economic hardship. “Leadership, particularly in a time of crisis, is as much about symbolism as it is about policy. When Nigerians are tightening their belts under subsidy removal, rising inflation, and a weakened naira, their President taking a 10-day vacation in Europe projects the wrong image that Nigeria is not good enough for its own leader to rest in,” Gbandi asserted. Most Nigerians in Diaspora work hard to save for holidays trips in Nigeria, our leaders are working hard in spending our money outside Nigeria, Gbandi stated further “Globally, visionary leaders use their vacations to showcase the beauty and resilience of their countries. It is a form of quiet diplomacy and economic stimulation. When a U.S. President vacations at Camp David, or when European leaders retire to their coasts or countryside, they project confidence in their nations and encourage citizens to follow suit. Nigeria should be no different,” Gbandi stated.
He criticized the enormous fiscal burden such trips place on an already strained economy, citing:
• High operational costs for maintaining and fueling the presidential jet abroad.
• Premium hotel expenses for aides, crew, and security personnel paid in scarce foreign exchange.
• Logistical and protocol costs, which could otherwise be invested in domestic infrastructure.
Gbandi argued that these resources could have been redirected to stimulate the local economy if the President had vacationed in Nigeria’s underutilized but stunning destinations like McCarthy Beach at the University town of Abraka in Delta State; Obudu Mountain Resort, Yankari Game Reserve; Ikogosi Warm Springs, or Erin-Ijesha Waterfalls. “Imagine the multiplier effect if the President had taken his annual leave in Cross River or Bauchi. Roads would be fixed, airports upgraded, security enhanced and Nigeria’s tourism industry would receive a global marketing boost at no extra cost. This is exactly the kind of innovative, homegrown solution that ADC -DN has consistently championed as part of our blueprint for economic revitalization,” Gbandi said.
He further warned that continued preference for foreign vacations by the nation’s highest office risks deepening the trust deficit between citizens and government: “When leaders ask citizens to bear austerity measures but do not themselves lead by example, public confidence erodes. ADC believes that credible governance starts with walking the talk, showing Nigerians that their leaders share their reality,” he concluded.
Hon. Gbandi called for a formal presidential policy requiring future annual vacations to be taken within Nigeria, turning them into opportunities for tourism promotion, job creation, and cultural diplomacy.
Hon. (Dr.) Kenneth Chibuogwu Gbandi is the longest-serving Diaspora leader, Senatorial Candidate in the 2023 General Elections, Diaspora leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He served as the Worldwide Coordinating Chairperson for the Nigerian Diaspora during the final passage of the NIDCOM Bill under Senate President Bukola Saraki and Hon. Rita Orji, making him a key architect of Nigeria’s institutional framework for Diaspora engagement.
