“Benue Is Bleeding!” — Obi Accuses Tinubu of Cold Indifference
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has lashed out at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his silence and absence following the mass killing of over 200 people in Benue State, accusing him of showing zero regard for human lives.
In a post shared Monday morning on X (formerly Twitter), Obi condemned what he described as the President’s refusal to physically visit the scenes of national tragedy, calling it a failure of leadership and a glaring sign of disregard for the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
“There is no empathy, no presence, no comfort for the grieving,” Obi wrote, referencing not only the Benue massacre but also recent floods in Niger State that claimed nearly 200 lives. Despite the severity of these incidents, Tinubu has made no on-the-ground appearance, even though some of the affected areas are less than an hour away from the capital by helicopter.
Obi contrasted Tinubu’s absence with international examples of leadership in crisis: “In India, a plane crash killed almost 200 people — their Prime Minister rushed to the site within hours. In South Africa, when floods claimed 78 lives, the President personally visited the affected communities and took responsibility.”
In Nigeria, he lamented, tragedy is met with distant press releases and delayed statements. The President’s reaction to the Benue killings came nearly 24 hours late — after even Pope Leo had sent his condolences.
Obi didn’t mince words: “This is not leadership. This is a system that has normalised the absence of compassion, accountability, and humanity.”
He argued that what Nigeria needs is not just another president, but a leader — someone with “competence, capacity, character, and compassion.”
Until then, he warned, “the cycle of pain will only continue.”
