• 19 Jun, 2025
• Faith Kegh
• No comment

Peter Obi Criticizes President Tinubu’s Benue Visit as Lacking Compassion.

Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue State, arguing that it lack

ed empathy and failed to honor the victims of the recent massacre.

In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Obi expressed deep disappointment over the tone and conduct of the visit. According to him, it felt more like a political event than a condolence visit following the killing of over 200 people in Benue and another tragic flood that claimed lives in Niger State.

Obi criticized the President’s appearance and the overall atmosphere in Benue, saying it was celebratory rather than somber. “The President came not dressed in mourning, but in festive agbada, as if he was attending a celebration,” Obi wrote.

He also condemned the Benue State Government’s declaration of a public holiday for the visit, saying it was used to stage a spectacle rather than encourage mourning and reflection. “Children who lost their families were made to sing and dance in the rain. In what kind of country does that happen?” he asked.

Obi lamented that condolence visits in Nigeria have become theatrical. “What should be a solemn moment is now filled with music, banners, and rehearsed shows,” he said, describing it as a troubling trend that diminishes the nation’s sense of compassion and justice.

Comparing Tinubu’s visit with examples from other countries, Obi referenced South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both of whom responded to tragedies quietly and respectfully without fanfare or political displays. “That is what real leadership looks like during painful times,” Obi said.

He warned that such performative responses to national tragedies risk eroding the moral core of the country. “These were people children, parents whose blood calls out for justice. Turning such moments into campaign-style events weakens the soul of the nation,” he concluded.

President Tinubu had traveled to Benue on Wednesday in response to an attack that claimed more than 100 lives. During a town hall meeting, he instructed security agencies to track down and apprehend those responsible.

He also visited victims receiving treatment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital and was accompanied by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.

Faith Kegh

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