The NDC presidential candidate says he will spend his holidays across Nigeria if elected, arguing that leaders must personally experience the challenges confronting citizens.

Former Anambra State Governor and National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for a change in the way Nigerian presidents spend their holidays, insisting that the country’s leader should remain within Nigeria rather than travel abroad for vacations.

Obi said that if elected president, he would make it a priority to spend his holidays in different parts of the country, including areas facing insecurity and other serious challenges.

Speaking on Arise News Television, the former governor said Nigerian leaders should not distance themselves from the realities faced by ordinary citizens.

“This will start from me and people will see it. Nigerian president must spend his vacation in Nigeria. We cannot continue with this nonsense. He should go on vacation in Zamfara, Borno, Anambra or anywhere,” Obi said.

When the interviewer pointed out that some of the locations mentioned, particularly parts of Borno, have been affected by Boko Haram insurgency, Obi maintained that such challenges should not prevent the president from visiting and spending time in affected communities.

“It doesn’t matter because that’s the country he lives [in]. That’s where he gets the money to go to Europe. That’s why I want us to bring post-parliamentary system,” he said.

Obi stressed that while a Nigerian president would still need to undertake official international trips, personal holidays should be spent within the country.

“As president of Nigeria, I will visit other countries, but I will not take my holidays in other countries,” he said.

He further claimed that President Bola Tinubu had not spent three nights in any location within Nigeria, questioning whether presidential visits to troubled communities were long enough to allow the president to properly understand their challenges.

Obi also referred to Tinubu’s visits to parts of the country, arguing that the president should spend more time with affected communities rather than making brief visits.

“He went to Jos and didn’t stay there. There was no light, light that he is supposed to provide. He went to Benue, there was no good road. When he should have stayed for three days with them and discussed these killings,” Obi said.

The former Anambra governor argued that spending more time in different parts of Nigeria would enable the president to engage directly with citizens and better understand the problems affecting their communities.

He said his approach would also extend to festive periods, explaining that he would use such occasions to engage traditional and community leaders across the country.

Speaking about how he would spend the Sallah holiday if elected president, Obi said: “I will go to Sokoto and spend Sallah with the Sultan and we discuss the future.”

Obi’s comments come as the debate over leadership, insecurity, infrastructure and the living conditions of Nigerians continues to dominate the country’s political discourse ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The NDC presidential candidate has consistently campaigned for greater accountability, stronger institutions and a leadership style that places greater emphasis on direct engagement with Nigerians.