FORMER Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s planned visit to Benue State following recent violent attacks, but insists the gesture should also be extended to Niger State, where devastating floods claimed numerous lives.
Speaking via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, Obi commended Tinubu for “finally deciding to visit the scene of the brutal killings in Benue State,” but stressed that the President must also visit the flood-ravaged community of Mokwa in Niger State, where over 200 people were confirmed dead and more than 1,000 remain missing.
“This is a commendable step,” Obi stated, “but I urge that a similar visit be paid to Niger State, where a natural disaster has caused even greater loss of life.”
He argued that given the gravity of these tragedies, both visits should have occurred much earlier to show urgency and empathy. “Prompt visits would have sent a stronger message of national concern rather than scheduling them like routine state engagements,” he said.
Obi emphasized that the proximity of the affected communities to the nation’s capital, Abuja, makes such visits highly feasible. “Abuja to Makurdi is about 282 km, and to Mokwa is about 287 km. Combined, that’s still less than the 1,870 km round trip South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently made to visit flood victims in Mthatha.”
He added that while fewer than 100 lives were lost in the South African incident, the death toll in Mokwa alone was more than double, yet lacked a comparable level of presidential response.
“The presence of the President in these devastated communities would be both reassuring and symbolic. It would show that all Nigerian lives matter, and no region is left behind, regardless of how remote,” Obi stated.
Calling for more proactive and compassionate leadership, Obi urged Tinubu to also prioritize national security and disaster response strategies. “We look forward to leadership that is present, responsive, and compassionate—not one that governs from a distance,” he concluded.
The remarks come ahead of Tinubu’s planned condolence visit to Benue State on Wednesday, following the attack on Yelwata community which claimed scores of lives.