By Henry Umoru
The OK Movement, a political platform established to mobilise support for the joint ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso has urged President Bola Tinubu to tell Nigerians why he decided to avoid the United Nations
According to the group, President Tinubu should let Nigerians know what changed or could it be the morbid fear that he might be arrested by the FBI, just like President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela?
The OK Movement publicly presents itself as a nationwide platform associated with the Obi–Kwankwaso political project ahead of the 2027 presidential election, stressing that its campaign structure will continue to focus on mobilisation and engagement across the 36 states and the FCT.
In a statement signed on Monday night by Worldwide coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, the group is requesting to know why is President Tinubu available for trivial engagements in France but unavailable to represent Nigeria personally at the United Nations?
The group also wants to know what exactly are the domestic priorities that require his continued absence from one of the most important gatherings of world leaders and to ascertain whether he was now going to visit all the victims of his terrible misrule, since he refused to visit them all these years, saying that Nigeria is currently struggling with a profound crisis of public trust.
According to Tanko, young Nigerians are watching the conduct, records and trajectories of political leaders like Tinubu and drawing conclusions about the kind of behaviour that our political system rewards and that the long-standing controversies surrounding his alleged criminal past in the United States have continued to generate public debate.
The statement read, “The decision by Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu to once again stay away from the United States and the 81st United Nations General Assembly raises serious questions that the Nigerian government must answer. The Presidency says that he is currently on annual leave and that his attention is required by domestic priorities, including the economy and security.
“But Nigerians are entitled to ask why the same Tinubu can undertake an extended European trip, travel to France and attend a private dinner with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, yet cannot personally represent Nigeria at the United Nations General Assembly.
“Even though we know he is prone to disgracing the country through his endless embarrassing gibberish at such an important global forum, his consistent absence over the last three years only suggests that Nigeria does not take such an opportunity seriously. This is not merely about attendance at a diplomatic event.
“The United Nations General Assembly provides Nigeria an important platform to present its interests before the international community, engage world leaders and participate directly in discussions on matters affecting Nigeria, Africa and the wider world.
“Ironically, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, in whose country Tinubu is squandering taxpayers’ money on an undeserved vacation, is currently in New York, attending UNGA and trying to close deals for his country.
“That is what any responsible president does.
“The questions therefore remain: Why did Mr. Tinubu decide not to attend after earlier indications that he would? What changed? Or could it be the morbid fear that he might be arrested by the FBI just like President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela?
“Why is Tinubu available for trivial engagements in France but unavailable to represent Nigeria personally at the United Nations?
“And what exactly are the domestic priorities that require his continued absence from one of the most important gatherings of world leaders? Is he now going to visit all the victims of his terrible misrule, since he refused to visit them all these years?
Nigeria is currently struggling with a profound crisis of public trust.
“Young Nigerians are watching the conduct, records and trajectories of political leaders like Tinubu and drawing conclusions about the kind of behaviour that our political system rewards.
The long-standing controversies surrounding Tinubu’s criminal past in the United States have continued to generate public debate.
“In 1993, a US federal court ordered the forfeiture of $460,000 from an account associated with Tinubu in proceedings involving narcotics-related funds.
Whatever position one takes on that history, the broader question is unavoidable: what message does Nigeria send to its young people when people like Tinubu with a long history of crime end up attaining the highest political office in the country?
“Young Nigerians should not be left with the impression that integrity, accountability and clean public service are optional qualities in leadership, or that controversies surrounding criminality can simply disappear once political power is attained. The responsibility of leadership is not merely to occupy office. It is to set standards.
“If Mr. Tinubu believes that his administration represents responsible leadership and that there is nothing to hide, then transparency should not be difficult. The Nigerian people deserve an administration that answers legitimate questions directly rather than sending his uncouth political lap dogs to distract Nigerians from the things that matter most.
“Tinubu must therefore explain his absence from the United States, clarify his travel and official engagements, and provide Nigerians with the facts surrounding the decisions that have kept him away from the United Nations General Assembly for three consecutive years.
“At a time when Nigeria is preparing for another general election, transparency from those entrusted with the highest offices of the country is not optional. Nigerians deserve answers. Nigeria must be OK.”
