Peter Obi Suspends Engagements, Begins Short Medical Rest

Segun James

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has announced a brief medical rest and suspended his scheduled engagements within and outside Nigeria this weekend following an undisclosed illness.
This is just as the Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the former Anambra State governor over his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s vacation.

Obi, in a statement shared yesterday on his X handle, said he fell ill while attending a tourism event in Enugu on Friday.

“Earlier in Enugu, I was not feeling well. I visited the hospital where the doctor gave me some medication and advised me to take a day or two days’ rest.

“In obedience to the doctor’s advice, I will not be able to meet up with all my scheduled engagements this weekend.
“I sincerely apologise for any inconveniences this might cause and humbly plead for understanding,” he wrote.
Despite his health setback, Obi disclosed that he visited the Good Hope Specialist Hospital in Isulo, Orumba South LGA, Anambra State, where he donated N10 million towards its acquisition and revitalisation by the Aguata Diocese of the Church of Nigeria.

“Healthcare remains one of the most meaningful investments we can make. Together, we can build a healthier Nigeria,” he stated.
Obi, who has been consistently critical of the president’s handling of the country’s socio-economic and security challenges, expressed reservations about Tinubu’s latest trip abroad.

Tinubu had departed Abuja on Thursday for a 10-day working vacation in Europe, as part of his 2025 annual leave.
According to Obi, the president’s frequent foreign travels give the impression of a leader who is becoming increasingly uncomfortable in his own country—“at a time Nigeria is in dire need of his presence to deal with myriad challenges.”

In response, the Lagos State APC spokesperson, Mr. Seye Oladejo, in a statement yesterday, said Obi should refrain from commenting on every action taken by the president.
Oladejo stated that Obi’s “latest remark—questioning President Tinubu’s private vacation and carelessly linking it to the nation’s security situation—is yet another example of his compulsive tendency to insert himself into every national conversation, regardless of relevance, accuracy, or basic decorum.

So, we ask, sincerely: Must Peter Obi comment on everything or anything?
“Let us be clear: President Tinubu, like any responsible leader, remains fully briefed and in active communication with his security and intelligence teams – even while on a brief vacation.

“Governance does not grind to a halt simply because a leader takes time to rest—especially in an age where secure, real-time communication is always within reach. Mr. Obi knows this, but evidently prefers posturing over pragmatism,” he said.

According to him, Obi’s constant moralising of the president’s every move smacks less of patriotism and more of a desperate grasp for relevance.

The spokesman noted that in Obi’s attempt to cast himself as the nation’s ever-watchful conscience, the former Anambra governor consistently cheapened the seriousness of governance and reduced complex national issues to mere talking points.

He said that Obi appeared to believe that his political relevance was in reacting to every government action or inaction – regardless of context or consequence.

“It is perhaps time for Mr. Obi’s handlers to become more attentive to their principal – for the sake of both his well-being and his public perception.

“A statesman cannot afford to sound perpetually agitated, misinformed, or out of touch with the responsibilities of leadership in a modern democracy,” he added.

According to him, while this administration works around the clock to rebuild the economy, secure the nation, and restore confidence in public institutions, Obi has continued to offer little more than sound bites, sermons, and reactionary commentary.

“No policy, no proposals – just perpetual complaints. This is not leadership. This is not patriotism. This is noise,” Oladejo said.

He urged Obi to exercise restraint and stop undermining serious national discourse “with knee-jerk statements crafted for social media applause.”

According to him, Nigeria needs a credible, constructive opposition – not a professional complainer.

“If he (Obi) has meaningful contributions to make, let him bring them forward – thoughtfully and responsibly. Otherwise, silence remains an honourable option,” he said.