Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the manner in which he conducted his 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 argued that such an approach showed a lack of empathy, stressing that genuine leadership demands being physically present with people during moments of grief and hardship.
“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 recalled a similar visit to Benue State in 2025, where he noted that the President did not go to the scene of the attack.
“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,” Obi added.
The former Anambra State governor called on leaders to show greater responsiveness and commitment to tackling insecurity across the country.
His remarks follow the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s visit to Jos, where he met victims at the airport.
The Presidency had earlier attributed the decision to logistical challenges, including limitations at the airport, which it said made it difficult for the President to travel to the affected areas.
However, critics have maintained that the move highlighted a disconnect from those directly impacted by the violence.
The latest attack 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 left several others injured.
The incident is part of a long-standing pattern of communal and sectarian violence in Plateau State, often linked to ethnic, religious, and land-related tensions.