Peter Obi, former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has criticised President Bola Tinubu for failing to visit Yelwata in Benue State because of poor road conditions.
Mr Obi who described this as an unacceptable excuse in a statement posted on his X page on Friday stressed that true leadership demands sacrifice, presence, and the willingness to offer solutions during difficult times—not excuses.
“One of the consistent principles of leadership is the willingness to make ultimate sacrifices and take risks. A true leader does not make excuses or complain; he shows up, sacrifices, and provides solutions, especially in difficult times,” Mr Obi stated.
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The 63-year-old argued that although he would not encourage Mr Tinubu to endanger himself but him claiming bad roads as the reason for not reaching Yelwata was unjustifiable.
This he said particularly as Mr Tinubu had already arrived in Benue State.
“This visit happened days after the massacre, with enough time to plan appropriately,” he said, referring to the recent attack in Yelwata that left several people dead.
Mr Obi questioned why the federal and state governments, which are responsible for road maintenance, had failed to address the infrastructural decay that supposedly hindered the visit.
“If the Commander-in-Chief cannot reach a part of his own country due to bad roads, what hope is there for the ordinary Nigerian who plies those same routes every day?” he asked.
He added that even if the roads were truly impassable, a claim he contested since presidential aides managed to access the area, alternative transport options such as helicopters could have been used.
“Are we saying a nation that boasts of a presidential air fleet could not airlift the President to Yelwata to condole with grieving citizens?”
Mr Obi emphasised that the people of Benue needed empathy, not explanations.
“The roads may be bad, but what is worse is the institutional neglect that brought us to this point,” he said.
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He stated that the vision of a new Nigeria would not be realised through excuses but through courage, sacrifice, and accountable leadership.
“A New Nigeria cannot—and will not—be built on excuses. It will be built on the sacrifices, courage, and responsibility of true leaders,” Mr Obi declared.
