Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu for failing to visit Yelwata, Benue State, following a massacre in the community, citing poor roads as an unacceptable excuse.
In a statement released on Thursday, Obi said leadership is defined by presence, sacrifice, and responsibility—especially during moments of national tragedy. He insisted that excuses have no place in true leadership, particularly when citizens are in mourning.
“One of the consistent principles of leadership is the willingness to make ultimate sacrifices and take risks. A true leader does not make excuses or complain; he shows up, sacrifices, and provides solutions, especially in difficult times,” Obi stated.
The former Anambra State Governor questioned the rationale behind Tinubu’s failure to visit the affected community, even after already arriving in Benue State.
“While I do not advocate for our President to expose himself to monumental risks, I cannot accept the excuse that bad roads prevented him from reaching Yelwata in Benue State—especially after he had already made it to the state. This visit happened days after the massacre, with enough time to plan appropriately,” he said.
Obi also challenged the government’s responsibility in infrastructure, questioning who should be blamed for the deplorable state of the roads.
“But let’s ask the fundamental question: Who is responsible for fixing the roads if not state and the federal governments? 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?” he asked.
He added that leadership should not be about comfort or protocol but standing with the people in difficult times.
“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,” he noted.
Obi also questioned why helicopters from the presidential fleet were not deployed if road travel was truly impossible.
“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 Yelwata to condole with grieving citizens?” he queried.
He emphasized that the people of Benue needed empathy, not protocol, and concluded with a call for a new standard of governance in Nigeria.
“The people of Benue did not need protocol or explanations. They needed empathy. They needed presence. The roads may be bad, but what is worse is the institutional neglect that brought us to this point,” Obi asserted.
“A New Nigeria cannot—and will not—be built on excuses. It will be built on the sacrifices, courage, and responsibility of true leaders. A New Nigeria is POssible,” he concluded.
