The presidency has berated Peter Obi over his comment on President Bola Tinubu’s official visit to Saint Lucia, describing it as misleading and lacking substance.

The faceoff marks yet another flashpoint in the ongoing political battle between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Labour Party.

Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, had criticised the president’s trip amid reports of flooding in Minna, Niger State, which reportedly claimed over 200 lives and left scores missing.

He described the journey as a leisure outing and accused the president of abandoning urgent domestic issues.

The former Anambra State governor has sustained his criticism of the present administration over the country’s direction and leadership style.

But in a strong response, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement, Fredrick Nwabufo, accused Obi of repeatedly polluting public discourse with his “empty rhetoric devoid of substance.

Nwabufo said the president’s visit to Saint Lucia is part of a deliberate foreign policy strategy to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and the Caribbean.

He explained that the Caribbean nation is the headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and a critical gateway for Nigeria’s renewed engagement with the region.

He noted that the visit reflects Nigeria’s growing international relevance under Tinubu’s leadership.

He said Obi’s remark is an attempt to score political points through what he termed “headline-grabbing performances”.

The president’s approach to foreign relations, he noted, is positioning Nigeria for a stronger leadership role among African and global communities.

According to him, Nigerians and Africans in the diaspora are excited about the visit, which symbolises a new era of purposeful engagement under a president who understands Nigeria’s place in the world.

Nwabufo maintained that President Tinubu’s leadership is restoring confidence in Nigeria globally through a combination of effective domestic governance and strategic international diplomacy.

He warned that public figures should refrain from trivialising matters of national interest for political mileage, especially in moments that demand unity and seriousness.

“The President’s broad-minded and enlightened leadership at home is colouring the grey canvas of global disinterestedness,” Nwabufo added.