Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu for failing to visit Yelwata in Benue State following the recent massacre of over 200 residents. Obi described the President’s justification of “bad roads” as unacceptable and a reflection of weak leadership.
In a statement posted on Thursday via his official Facebook page, Obi said Tinubu’s inability to reach Yelwata, despite being present in Benue State, demonstrated a failure to embody the core responsibilities of leadership during a moment of national mourning.
“One of the consistent principles of leadership is the willingness to make ultimate sacrifices and take risks,” Obi said. “A true leader does not make excuses or complain; he shows up, sacrifices, and provides solutions, especially in difficult times.”
Obi questioned the rationale behind blaming road conditions under Tinubu’s own administration for his absence, noting that the President had ample time to make logistical arrangements after the deadly attack.
“Even if we accept that the roads were truly impassable, which they are not, since his aides and security teams used them, what happened to the helicopters?” Obi asked. “Are we to believe that a country with a presidential air fleet couldn’t find a way to fly the President to Yelwata to comfort grieving citizens?”
He stressed that physical presence during times of tragedy carries deep symbolic value and that Nigerians expected leadership grounded in empathy, not excuses.
“If the Commander-in-Chief cannot reach his citizens due to bad roads, what hope is there for the average Nigerian who plies those same roads every day?” Obi said.
He concluded by condemning what he termed institutional neglect and called for a new brand of leadership defined by action, sacrifice and compassion.
“A New Nigeria cannot and will not be built on excuses. It will be built on the sacrifices, courage, and responsibility of true leaders,” Obi said.
