The Federal government has berated the criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan’s trip to Brazil, declaring that the president’s absence does not amount to negligent of duties.

According to the Minister of information, Labaran Maku who briefed state house correspondents at the end of Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, “the president can rule from anywhere in the world.”

The Minister added that despite the president’s absence, there is no vacuum in government.

The weekly FEC meeting was presided over by Vice-President Namadi Sambo.

Despite the raging violence in Kaduna and Yobe States which has claimed close to 100 lives, President Jonathan departed for Rio de Janeiro, on Tuesday, to attend the United Nations’ Earth Summit, RIO+20.

A dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed in Kaduna state and in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, keeping residents in doors for two days, as security agents battle to restore peace.

The president wass accompanied by his wife, two governors and a number of Ministers.

A wide range of criticism has greeted the president’s trip to the earth summit, with opposition party, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), describing the trip as the height of insensitivity and confused leadership.

“The decision by the President to travel two days after dozens of innocent Nigerians, including women and children, were killed or maimed by suicide bombers in Kaduna state, is a “sign of insensitive and confused leadership” the party stated.

Also, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) condemned trip to Brazil, saying the trip was like desertion of duty despite the “gloomy atmosphere pervading the country.”

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Some Nigerians play politics with everything, but we can't destroy our country because of personal political ambitions - President Jonathan