Schoolchildren Kidnap: Tinubu Refused Calling Makinde, Lacks Compassion – Obi

The presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Peter Obi, has accused President Bola Tinubu of showing a lack of compassion over the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, alleging that the President had not contacted Governor Seyi Makinde more than 50 days after the incident.

Obi made the allegation on Monday while reminiscing about his visit to Ibadan with economist Prof. Pat Utomi, where they met with Governor Makinde to express solidarity over the prolonged captivity of the pupils.

He described the situation as a reflection of what he called the consequences of “uncompassionate leadership,” arguing that the continued detention of the children without their rescue had deepened public frustration and resentment.

“The ultimate cost of uncompassionate leadership, as evident in the country today, is turning citizens’ frustration into deep, volatile resentment.

“It is even more traumatising when the leader presiding over that collapse demonstrates clear incapacity and a lack of compassion,” Obi said.

According to him, the government and people of Oyo State have every reason to feel “bitter and abandoned,” as more than 50 days have passed since the schoolchildren were abducted without what he described as any tangible effort toward securing their freedom.

Obi said he had publicly spoken about the incident on two occasions and appealed directly to the kidnappers to release the children.

He added that he also called Governor Makinde twice to assure him of his support, stressing that the incident should not be viewed as an Oyo State problem alone.

“Since this unfortunate incident, I have spoken publicly about it twice, including appealing directly to the kidnappers to release the children.

“I also called the Governor twice to assure him of my solidarity, understanding that this issue is not just an Oyo problem but a Nigerian tragedy,” he said.

Explaining the purpose of his visit, Obi said he travelled to Ibadan on Friday, July 3, alongside Prof. Pat Utomi because more than 50 days had elapsed without the children’s rescue, while many other Nigerians remained in captivity across the country.

He disclosed that during their two-hour meeting with Makinde, he shared his experience in tackling insecurity while serving as governor of Anambra State.

Obi recalled that former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan would personally contact governors whenever major security challenges arose in their states.

“I recalled how President Olusegun Obasanjo, and later Presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, would personally call us several times whenever we faced major security challenges,” he stated.

He said he was surprised to discover during the meeting that Governor Makinde had allegedly not received any call from President Tinubu since the abduction occurred.

“But, to my utmost shock, I discovered that, contrary to my assumption that they had been in regular communication over the matter, Governor Seyi Makinde had not received a single call from President Bola Tinubu,” Obi said.

Drawing a comparison with the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, Obi recalled that the incident attracted widespread local and international attention, noting that security agencies provided almost daily updates on efforts to rescue the girls.

He added that although former President Goodluck Jonathan was criticised for taking more than two weeks to contact the affected state governor, Tinubu was among those who demanded Jonathan’s resignation over the delayed response.

“I vividly recall that the current President, Bola Tinubu, led a team of vocal critics who called for President Jonathan’s immediate resignation over the incident, citing his delay in calling the state governor. That call for IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION should actually be the case in this matter,” Obi stated.

The former Anambra governor further alleged that more than 13 school kidnappings had occurred under the Tinubu administration, questioning why the President had allegedly failed to contact the affected state’s chief executive after more than seven weeks.

“Today, under President Tinubu, there have been more than 13 school kidnappings, yet the President has found it difficult to call the affected state’s chief executive after more than 50 days (over seven weeks). This is outrageous. I suspect the same may also have been the case in other school kidnapping incidents,” he said.

Obi maintained that no issue should be more important than the lives of kidnapped schoolchildren, their teachers and other Nigerians still being held captive.

“I cannot imagine any issue more important than the lives of our kidnapped children, their teachers, and the many other Nigerians being held captive across the country.

“It is now an indisputable fact that governance has completely collapsed under this administration,” he said.

He described the situation as a demonstration of “a total lack of capacity and compassion, compounded by glaring insensitivity.”

Obi urged the President to either resign from office or refrain from seeking re-election, insisting that his position was motivated by patriotism rather than politics.

“Amid such an apparent display of incompetence, the President should either resign or, at the very least, abstain from seeking re-election for the sake of our dear country. This call is patriotic, not political,” he said.