Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has criticised President Bola Tinubu for failing to visit Yelwata community in Benue State during his condolence trip on Wednesday, June 18.
President Tinubu had travelled to the state to sympathise with victims of a deadly attack in Yelwata, where over 150 people were killed over the weekend.
However, while addressing stakeholders during his visit, the President explained that he could not proceed to Yelwata due to “rain, flood, and bad roads.”
Reacting in a statement shared on his official X handle on Friday, June 20, Obi said leadership demands presence and sacrifice, particularly in times of crisis.
He rejected the President’s justification, insisting that true leaders show up and provide solutions, rather than offer excuses.
“One of the consistent principles of leadership is the willingness to make ultimate sacrifices and take risks,” Obi stated. “A true leader does not complain or stay away—he stands with the people, especially in their darkest moments.”
Obi clarified that while he does not expect the President to take unnecessary risks, he found the excuse unacceptable—especially since the President had already arrived in the state and had ample time to plan the logistics.
He further questioned the logic of a President being unable to access a part of his own country due to road conditions, asking: “If the roads are unfit for the President, how are they okay for ordinary Nigerians who use them daily?”
Obi also pointed out that the government had alternative options, such as deploying a helicopter to transport the President to the affected community, given Nigeria’s presidential air fleet.
“The people of Yelwata didn’t need elaborate protocol or explanations—they needed empathy and presence,” he added. “What’s worse than bad roads is the deep institutional neglect that allows such tragedies and poor infrastructure to persist.”
Concluding, Obi said: “A New Nigeria cannot be built on excuses. It requires courage, sacrifice, and accountability. A New Nigeria is POssible.”
