The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for failing to visit Benue State in the wake of the mass killings that claimed the lives of over 200 residents in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area.
In a statement shared on his official X account on Monday morning, Obi described the President’s inaction as a sign that he does not value human life. He also pointed to global examples of compassionate leadership, citing how heads of state in India and South Africa personally responded to national tragedies.
“Just days ago, over 200 Nigerians, innocent men, women, children, and even soldiers were massacred in Benue State,” Obi wrote. “Again, no presidential visit. No physical presence at the scenes of pain. No genuine national mourning. No leadership face to comfort the grieving or give hope to the people.”
Referencing a recent disaster in Niger State, Obi added: “Recently, we witnessed severe flooding in Niger State that claimed nearly 200 lives, with many still missing. Yet, not even a single presidential visit, this, in a nation where the scene of the tragedy is less than an hour away by helicopter.”
He further compared Nigeria’s leadership response with those of other countries:
“In India, after a plane crash killed nearly 200 people, the Prime Minister was physically at the scene within hours. In South Africa, when floods claimed 78 lives, the president went personally to the affected communities, stood with them, and took responsibility. That is leadership with compassion. That is leadership that understands the value of human life.”
Obi lamented what he described as a normalization of “leadership without empathy” in Nigeria, adding:
“That is why I insist: Nigeria does not just need another president; Nigeria needs a leader, a leader with competence, capacity, character, and compassion. Until we choose leaders on these principles, the cycle of pain will only continue.”
President Tinubu has come under growing criticism for his delayed response to the Benue killings, with many pointing out that the Vatican’s Pope Leo had issued a message of condolence before the Nigerian President made any public remarks.
