Kenneth Okonkwo Slams Tinubu For Enjoying in Paris While Nigerians Suffer Insecurity, Poverty, And Collapsing Systems

 

Lawyer and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has delivered a blistering critique of President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of abandoning Nigerians at a time of deep suffering. Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program, Okonkwo described the nation as being in a full-blown crisis while its leader relaxes in Paris. He urged citizens to prepare to vote Tinubu out of office in the 2027 general elections, insisting that the President has lost touch with the realities facing ordinary people.

Okonkwo pointed to widespread killings in northern states as evidence of government failure to address insecurity. According to him, villages in Zamfara and Katsina continue to come under deadly attacks, yet Tinubu chose to proceed on what he called “work leave” abroad. He questioned how a President can justify such absence at a time when blood is being shed across the country.

The actor-turned-politician went further to emphasize that insecurity is not limited to the northern region. He maintained that there is hardly any state in Nigeria today where citizens can confidently promote tourism or conduct business in safety. The overall environment, he argued, is one of fear, violence, and hopelessness.

Nigeria’s public sector, he continued, reflects the same decay. The country’s educational system is in danger of total collapse, with the Academic Staff Union of Universities threatening to embark on another strike due to unresolved issues. According to Okonkwo, repeated industrial actions have left students stranded and have eroded the confidence of families in the ability of schools to provide consistent learning.

Healthcare, he said, is facing an equally devastating crisis. Doctors and nurses are already warning of new strikes if government fails to address their grievances. Hospitals are struggling with shortages of staff and equipment, and patients are increasingly left without care. The collapse, Okonkwo stressed, is not a distant risk but a current reality visible in every corner of the country.

He recalled a recent tragic incident where a woman lost her child to malaria simply because she could not afford the transport fare to the nearest hospital. For him, that single case reflects the desperation of millions of Nigerians who are unable to access basic health services. According to Okonkwo, the statistics are alarming, with Nigeria now recording more malnourished children than even war-torn Sudan.

The economic crisis, he added, is just as alarming. Contractors in the oil industry have reportedly not been paid since 2024, further weakening a sector that should be the country’s lifeline. Meanwhile, citizens continue to grapple with the rising cost of living, epileptic electricity supply, and unstable fuel prices. He noted that the power sector, represented by NEPA and its successors, has remained unreliable and is contributing to the collapse of small and medium enterprises across the country.

Okonkwo criticized the President for what he described as an extravagant and insensitive lifestyle abroad. He painted the image of Tinubu vacationing in Paris, dressed in expensive suits, and appearing joyful while Nigerians are trapped in poverty and hunger. To him, such displays amount to a mockery of the sacrifices citizens are forced to make daily just to survive.

The former Nollywood star did not stop at highlighting the problems. He issued a call to action, urging Nigerians to reject Tinubu and his ruling All Progressives Congress when the 2027 elections arrive. According to him, the APC has presided over the collapse of essential services and has subjected the population to untold suffering. Saving the country, he declared, requires a change of leadership.

His message was blunt. Any nation where education, healthcare, and infrastructure are falling apart, he insisted, is a nation in distress. For Nigeria to find a way forward, citizens must realize that the solution will not come from a government that spends its time and resources in foreign luxury while ignoring the cries of the people.

Kenneth Okonkwo’s comments have sparked conversations across the political space, with some viewing them as a timely wake-up call and others seeing them as partisan rhetoric. Regardless of interpretation, his words underscore the widening gulf between Nigeria’s political class and the millions struggling under economic and social hardship.

The call to reject Tinubu in 2027 now stands as part of a growing chorus of voices demanding accountability and change. Whether Nigerians will heed that call remains to be seen, but the discontent expressed by Okonkwo highlights the depth of frustration across the nation.