Despite Nigeria hosting the high-level meeting, President Tinubu was represented by Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised President Bola Tinubu for his absence at the 68th Ordinary Heads of State and Government Meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), held in Abuja.
PDP described the development as damaging to Nigeria’s regional leadership and international standing.
The ECOWAS summit, which brought together presidents and heads of government from across West Africa, focused on pressing challenges confronting the sub-region, particularly insecurity and political instability in several member states.
Despite Nigeria hosting the high-level meeting, President Tinubu was represented by Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP acknowledged that the President is constitutionally permitted to delegate representation when indisposed.
However, the party argued that President Tinubu’s subsequent appearance at a political event the following day undermined the significance of the ECOWAS meeting and sent the wrong signal about Nigeria’s commitment to regional stability.
According to the opposition party, the President’s absence at such a critical forum “creates a perception of less premium being paid to regional stability,” a position it said runs contrary to Nigeria’s long-established foreign policy posture in West Africa.
The PDP further claimed that actions of this nature have contributed to what it described as a “scant regard” for Nigeria under the current administration, noting that the country was previously “respected and revered” by other nations in the sub-region.
The party called on the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) federal government to prioritise governance over political considerations, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The PDP urged the government to intensify investment in critical sectors such as security, education, road infrastructure and healthcare, rather than, in its words, “funding and empowering political structures in preparation for the 2027 elections using Renewed Hope Ambassadors.”
“The stakes are too high for business as usual,” the party said, stressing that legislative integrity, international standing and regional leadership are “national imperatives” rather than partisan concerns.
The statement added that Nigerians deserve “solutions, not excuses,” and called for evidence-based policies, transparent governance and collaborative problem-solving to address the country’s contemporary challenges.
“When institutions fail, democracy suffers. When leadership falters, the nation pays the price,” the PDP warned.