Obi Challenges Tinubu’s Justification for Avoiding Yelewata Visit

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for failing to visit Yelewata community in Benue State the epicentre of a recent deadly attack during his condolence visit to the state.

Tinubu, who arrived in Makurdi on Wednesday to sympathize with victims of the attacks, said he could not travel to Yelewata due to “the rain, flood and bad roads.”

Reacting in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Obi condemned the President’s justification, insisting that leadership, particularly in moments of crisis, demands presence, responsibility, and personal sacrifice.

“One of the consistent principles of leadership is the willingness to make ultimate sacrifices and take risks,” Obi wrote.

“A true leader does not make excuses or complain; he shows up, sacrifices, and provides solutions, especially in difficult times.”

While acknowledging that security and safety for the president are valid concerns, Obi said the excuse for skipping Yelewata was insufficient, especially as the visit took place several days after the massacre ample time, he said, to make logistical arrangements.

“This visit happened days after the massacre, with enough time to plan appropriately,” he stated.

Obi further questioned the government’s inability to facilitate transportation for the president to reach the affected area, pointing to the availability of air support options.

“Even if we accept that the roads were truly impassable which they are not, as presidential aides and staff managed to navigate them what happened to the use of helicopters?”

“Are we saying a nation that boasts of a presidential air fleet could not airlift the President to Yelewata to condole with grieving citizens?”

He also stressed the broader implications of Tinubu’s remarks, noting that if the Commander-in-Chief cannot access parts of his own country, it reflects poorly on governance and infrastructure development.

“If the Commander-in-Chief cannot reach a part of his own country due to bad roads, what hope is there for the ordinary Nigerian who plies those same routes every day?”

“Leadership is not about comfort; it is about sacrifice. It is about standing with your people, especially in moments of pain and tragedy.

“You cannot abandon your citizens in their hour of need. You don’t offer excuses when action is required.”

Obi emphasized that the people of Benue were not looking for ceremonial displays but a sincere show of empathy.

“The people of Benue did not need protocol or explanations. They needed empathy. They needed presence,” he said.

“The roads may be bad, but what is worse is the institutional neglect that brought us to this point.”

Reiterating his vision for a “New Nigeria,” Obi said the country cannot afford a leadership culture of excuses.

“A New Nigeria cannot  and will not be built on excuses. It will be built on the sacrifices, courage, and responsibility of true leaders.”

This latest criticism follows Obi’s earlier rebuke of President Tinubu’s conduct during the Benue visit. On Thursday, the Labour Party standard-bearer accused the president of turning his condolence trip into a celebratory spectacle.

He faulted Tinubu’s choice of attire and the fanfare surrounding the event, arguing that it did not reflect the somber tone required by the tragedies in Benue and Niger States.

Obi also condemned the Benue State Government’s decision to declare a public holiday and close schools to welcome the president.

“Children who should be mourning their slaughtered classmates and parents were instead lined up under the rain, rehearsed to sing and dance for the president,” he lamented.

His remarks have added to growing public debate over the federal government’s response to the escalating violence in Nigeria’s North-Central region.