The Nigerian Presidency has issued a robust response to criticism over President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Saint Lucia, insisting the trip is a historic diplomatic engagement designed to deepen Nigeria’s ties with the Caribbean and foster South-South cooperation—not a leisure excursion.
Mr. Peter Obi had condemned the trip as “ill-timed and insensitive,” questioning how the President could embark on such a visit while Nigeria faces severe insecurity, hunger, and natural disasters. Obi said, “I didn’t want to believe that anybody in the position of authority… would contemplate a leisure trip at this time” and urged the government to prioritize the welfare of Nigerians over political interests
Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement stressed: “The visit by the Nigerian leader paves the way for the rekindling of our ancestral bonds, igniting a new era of diplomatic, cultural, and economic possibilities between our nations.”
The statement highlighted that Saint Lucia, like many Caribbean nations, has a significant population of African ancestry, with historical migration from present-day Nigeria shaping its culture and society.
The Presidency outlined that the visit would begin with courtesy calls on both leaders and culminate in a special address to a joint session of Saint Lucia’s Senate and House of Assembly at the William Jefferson Clinton Ballroom, Sandals Grande, Gros Islet, on Monday.
Onanuga stressed the strategic nature of the trip, stating, “Saint Lucia is the headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the gateway to the 15 CARICOM member states. The CARICOM states have a combined GDP of over $130 billion, a significant figure in South-South trade discourse. In an era of global uncertainty, deepening cooperation between the Global South, particularly between continental Africa and the Caribbean, has become imperative.”
The post Saint Lucia trip strategic not leisure, Presidency replies Peter Obi appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
