Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has taken a hard stance against President Bola Tinubu over his failure to visit Yelwata, the Benue community recently ravaged by deadly attacks.
Obi condemned Tinubu’s justification for skipping the area, citing “bad roads” as inexcusable and emblematic of leadership disconnection from the people.
In a strongly worded statement shared Thursday via his official Facebook page, Obi described the president’s decision as a stark failure of empathy and accountability.
He argued that no truly committed leader would allow infrastructural challenges, particularly in a country with access to presidential air fleets, to prevent them from consoling victims of national tragedy.
“One of the consistent principles of leadership is the willingness to make ultimate sacrifices and take risks,” Obi stated. “A true leader does not make excuses or complain; he shows up, sacrifices, and provides solutions, especially in difficult times.”
Obi emphasized that Tinubu had ample time to plan a visit to Yelwata after news of the massacre broke, adding that the presidency could easily have employed air transportation to reach the area. He pointed out that other presidential staff members were able to access the region, questioning why the Commander-in-Chief himself could not.
“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?” Obi queried. “Are we saying a nation that boasts of a presidential air fleet could not airlift the President to Yelwata to condole with grieving citizens?”
The former governor of Anambra State argued that leadership is not about convenient speeches or administrative protocols, but about visibility, responsibility, and heartfelt connection with the people during moments of crisis.
He lamented the growing institutional neglect of communities such as Yelwata and used the incident to call for a deeper re-evaluation of Nigeria’s leadership standards. Obi stressed that Nigerians need leaders who show up, not just in times of victory, but especially in the throes of grief and hardship.
“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.
Obi concluded by asserting that excuses cannot form the basis of national progress. He called for a renewed commitment to leadership that is defined by compassion, sacrifice, and direct engagement with the challenges citizens face.
“A New Nigeria cannot, and will not, be built on excuses,” he declared. “It will be built on the sacrifices, courage, and responsibility of true leaders.”
What You Should Know
Peter Obi has sharply criticised President Tinubu for citing “bad roads” as the reason for not visiting Yelwata, a community recently struck by violence. Obi insists leadership demands showing up, especially in times of tragedy, and says true leaders offer action and presence, not explanations.
