Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called out President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his delayed response to recent national tragedies, particularly in Benue and Niger states.
In a post shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, Obi welcomed Tinubu’s decision to visit communities in Benue State affected by brutal attacks. However, he urged the President to show the same level of concern for victims of the devastating floods in Mokwa, Niger State, where over 200 people reportedly lost their lives and more than 1,000 remain missing.
Obi emphasized that such tragedies require immediate and compassionate action from national leaders.
“It was refreshing news to hear that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally decided to visit the scene of the brutal killings in Benue State. For this, I thank him,” Obi wrote.
“Even so, I strongly appeal for the same gesture to be extended to Niger State, which has suffered even greater loss of life due to a natural disaster—flooding.”
He stressed that prompt presidential visits in the wake of disasters can be deeply reassuring for grieving communities, adding that scheduling such visits for later dates undermines the urgency of the situation.
Obi drew attention to the fact that both Benue and Niger have lost over 200 lives each in recent weeks, stating that these figures represent real families and communities, not just statistics.
He also pointed out that the locations—Makurdi in Benue and Mokwa in Niger—are both within a few hours’ drive from Abuja, approximately 282km and 287km away, respectively. He contrasted Tinubu’s delayed response with that of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who recently travelled more than 1,800km to visit a flood-hit area in Mthatha, where fewer than 100 people had died.
“If the South African President could travel that distance to comfort his people, we believe our own President can do the same,” Obi said.
He added that a visit to Mokwa would send a strong message that every Nigerian life matters, regardless of location or social status.
Obi concluded by calling for more than symbolic visits. He urged the federal government to strengthen disaster response systems and enhance security in vulnerable regions.
“We hope to see a shift from leadership by remote control to leadership by presence—one that acts swiftly, shows compassion, and brings real solutions.”
