Like Benue, Addressing Grieving Plateau Citizens At Airport Irresponsible – Obi

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s handling of recent violent attacks in Plateau State, describing his decision to address grieving citizens from the airport as “irresponsible” and lacking in compassion.

Obi, in a statement on Friday, drew parallels with Tinubu’s June 2025 visit to Benue State, where the President stopped at the Government House but did not visit communities affected by deadly attacks.

“During his visit to Benue State in June 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stopped at the Government House but did not go to the actual scene where innocent Nigerians lost their lives.

“Similarly, yesterday in Jos, his engagement ended at the airport instead of at the affected communities,” Obi said.

He argued that the President’s approach to crisis response reflects a troubling pattern of “distant leadership,” insisting that true leadership must be rooted in empathy, presence, and direct engagement with victims.

“What happened in Plateau highlights a complete absence of leadership. True leadership requires presence, empathy, compassion, and a willingness to meet people where their pain truly lies,” he stated.

Earlier, the President, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the President’s itinerary on Thursday was tightly packed, beginning with the reception of Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He pointed out that, “The President achieved the purpose of his visit,” the statement noted, emphasising that lasting peace must be built through collaboration with affected communities rather than imposed solutions.

But Obi rejected the excuse and the assertion that the president achieved his aim just for visiting the state, stressing that for citizens who have just lost loved ones, homes, and their sense of safety, being addressed from an airport tarmac is grossly inadequate.

“For citizens who have just lost loved ones, homes, and their sense of safety, being addressed from an airport tarmac is profoundly inadequate,” he added.

The former Anambra State governor warned that such actions risk deepening the sense of abandonment felt by communities repeatedly affected by violence, especially in the absence of meaningful protection and justice.

“This approach exacerbates the sense of abandonment already felt by innocent Nigerians who have endured repeated cycles of violence without meaningful protection or justice,” he said.

Calling for urgent and decisive action, Obi noted that Plateau State deserves more than symbolic gestures, urging the federal government to demonstrate a clear commitment to ending insecurity across the country.

“Plateau deserves more than distant words; it requires urgent action and a clear commitment to ending the insecurity that continues to claim innocent lives,” he said.

He further emphasised that leadership in times of crisis must go beyond visibility to tangible engagement with victims and affected communities.

“In such moments, leadership must not only be visible but also tangible – standing with victims, listening to survivors, and acknowledging the depth of their grief,” Obi added.

Obi urged Nigerians to demand a higher standard of leadership, one that is consistently present, responsive, and accountable.

“If we truly desire a better Nigeria, we must demand leadership that is present, responsive, and responsible at all times. A new Nigeria is possible,” he said.