The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his approach to the recent condolence visit to Plateau State.
In a post shared on X on Friday, Obi faulted the President for meeting victims of the Jos attack at the airport instead of visiting the affected communities directly.
He described the gesture as lacking compassion and argued that true leadership demands physical presence in times of tragedy.
“What happened in Plateau yesterday highlights a complete absence of leadership. True leadership requires presence, empathy, compassion, and a willingness to meet people where their pain truly lies.
“For citizens who have just lost loved ones, homes, and their sense of safety, being addressed from an airport tarmac is profoundly inadequate,” Obi said.
Obi also referenced an earlier visit by the President to Benue State in 2025, claiming that Tinubu did not visit the scene of a similar attack.
READ ALSO:
- Obi Faults Tinubu For Meeting Plateau Victims At Airport
- Bandits Abduct 15, Kill One In Fresh Katsina Attacks
- Easter Message: Tinubu Urges Nigerians To Embrace Sacrifice, Backs Ongoing Reforms
- Tinubu Arrives Lagos After Meeting Plateau Attack Victims
- NAPTIP Foils Egypt Job Scam, Rescues 47 Nigerians At Airport
“This approach exacerbates the sense of abandonment already felt by innocent Nigerians who have endured repeated cycles of violence without meaningful protection or justice.
“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 added.
The former Anambra State governor urged leaders to show stronger commitment in addressing insecurity across the country.
His remarks come amid public debate over Tinubu’s visit to Jos, where the President met victims at the airport rather than going into the affected communities.
The Presidency had earlier explained that logistical constraints, including airport limitations, made it difficult for the President to travel to the impacted areas.
However, critics insist the decision reflects a disconnect from the realities faced by victims of the attack.
The latest violence in Plateau State occurred on Palm Sunday in the Angwan Rukuba area of Jos North Local Government Area, where gunmen killed at least 27 people and injured several others.
The incident adds to a long-standing pattern of communal and sectarian violence in Plateau State, driven by ethnic, religious, and land-related tensions.