Peter Obi, a 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate and former governor of Anambra State, has slammed President Bola Tinubu for his tardy visit to areas of the country affected by crisis.
Selective empathy and “leadership by remote control” convey a harmful message to bereaved Nigerians, Obi cautioned.
In an X account post on Tuesday, Obi praised Tinubu’s scheduled visit to Benue massacre communities but pointed out that Niger State areas, especially Mokwa, where floods are said to have killed over 200 people and left over 1,000 missing, should also receive the same level of compassion.
“It was refreshing news on Monday to a bewildered nation learning that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally decided to visit the scene of the brutal killings in Benue State. For this, I thank him.
“Even as I make further request that similar gesture should be extended to Niger state that lost more number of human lives in a natural disaster, flood recently.
“Given the emergency nature of these incidents, a prompt visit would have delivered the urgency needed instead of giving future dates that make it look like a state visit,” Obi said.
Obi stressed that presidential presence in disaster-hit areas can be “very reassuring and uplifting” for grieving communities, adding that the scale of devastation in both Benue and Niger demanded equal national attention.
“Both Benue and Niger States have lost over 200 lives each due to recent tragedies. In Mokwa alone, more than 200 people were confirmed dead, and over 1,000 are still missing following the floods. These are not just statistics; they are the lives of Nigerian families torn apart and their communities destroyed,” he wrote.
Obi noted that the distances from Abuja to both Makurdi and Mokwa are “not far”, about 282km and 287km, respectively.
He compared this to a recent trip made by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who visited flood victims in Mthatha, where fewer than 100 people perished, covering more than 1,800km round trips.
Obi said,”If the South African President could do it, we trust that you, as our own President, can do the same for your people.
“Let your visit to Mokwa send a strong message, that all Nigerian lives matter, and that no community, no matter how rural, is forgotten.”
He urged Tinubu to improve security and disasters preparedness, particularly in vulnerable areas, in addition to making a personal appearance.
“We look forward to seeing not leadership by remote control but proactive leadership that responds not just with words, but with compassion and action,” Obi added.
