Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has publicly rebuked President Bola Tinubu over his handling of the recent violence in Plateau State. In a statement posted on his official X account on Tuesday, Obi criticised what he called a lack of empathy and physical presence by the President in affected areas. He stressed that leadership during crises demands more than official appearances, quoting his belief that "true leadership requires presence, empathy, compassion, and a willingness to meet people where their pain truly lies." Obi referenced President Tinubu's June 2025 stop in Benue State, where the President remained at the Government House without visiting impacted communities. He noted a similar pattern in Jos, where engagement reportedly ended at the airport. "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. He called for urgent, tangible actions to address insecurity, insisting affected regions deserve more than symbolic gestures. Reactions on social media echoed Obi's sentiment, with users like Chukwu alleging that insecurity has been politicised, while Ojukwu Di Ndu and Dennis described airport speeches as disconnected and insulting amid grief.
Peter Obi is highlighting a pattern, not just a moment—President Tinubu's absence from grieving communities signals a leadership style that prioritises protocol over proximity. When the President speaks from airport tarmacs in Jos or Benue, it reinforces the perception that those in power are insulated from the suffering they are meant to address. For Nigerians enduring repeated violence, this distance isn't just symbolic—it erodes trust in the very idea that the state sees them as worthy of direct comfort. A statement from Obi won't stop bullets, but it does spotlight a growing expectation: leadership must be seen to feel.
