Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue State, describing it as a display of insensitivity that failed to reflect the somberness of the tragic events that claimed hundreds of lives.
Obi, in a statement shared via his official X handle on Thursday, expressed deep disappointment over what he termed a “carnival-like” atmosphere during Tinubu’s condolence visit.
The President was in Benue on Wednesday following an attack that left over 100 people dead in Yelewata and surrounding communities.
“We pleaded that the President should visit Benue and Niger states to demonstrate empathy and national solidarity,” Obi wrote. “Instead, the visit turned into a political parade. It lacked the dignity and sorrow that such a moment demands.”
He questioned the decision of the Benue State Government to declare a public holiday, saying it led to celebratory events rather than collective mourning.
“Children who recently lost their parents and classmates were made to stand in the rain, singing and dancing for the President. This is not leadership; it is a mockery of grief,” he stated.
Obi went further to compare Tinubu’s conduct to that of global leaders in times of tragedy.
“When President Cyril Ramaphosa visited flood victims in South Africa, there were no staged crowds or drummers. It was solemn. When Prime Minister Modi visited a crash site, there were no cheers or banners. He showed up quietly, mourned with the people, and took action,” he noted.
He lamented what he called the erosion of empathy in Nigeria’s leadership style.
“It is disturbing that condolence visits in Nigeria now resemble campaign rallies.
A moment that should be marked by silence and compassion is polluted with fanfare, rehearsed chants, and celebration. Our nation is losing its soul,” Obi added.
President Tinubu, during his visit, held a town hall meeting and directed security agencies to intensify efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“We must fish out these criminals and bring them to book,” Tinubu said at the meeting, instructing the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, to take immediate action.
He also visited some of the injured victims receiving treatment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, accompanied by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
Despite these gestures, Obi believes the tone and presentation of the visit were tone-deaf.
“These were human lives lost—children, women, men. Their blood cries for justice. Turning such grief into a parade is a disservice to the dead and an insult to the living,” he concluded.
