Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue State, describing it as lacking the solemnity and empathy that should define a condolence visit to victims of mass killings. Obi said the visit, rather than offering comfort to grieving families, took on the air of a political rally, complete with fanfare and celebration.
The LP standard bearer also faulted Benue State Governor, Rev. Hyacinth Alia, for declaring a public holiday to mark the president’s visit, arguing that such an action contradicted the somber nature of the tragedy that befell the state.
Recall that armed gunmen last week, believed to be militant herdsmen, attacked Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, opening fire on sleeping residents and setting homes and market stalls ablaze.
The attack claimed the lives of over 150 people, left many others wounded, and displaced hundreds. It forms part of a wave of coordinated attacks in Benue over the past two months, during which more than 200 people have been killed in what has been linked to disputes over land between farmers and pastoralists.
In a post on his official X handle on Thursday, Obi decried the manner of the visit, noting that the president arrived in elaborate agbada attire, unbefitting of the mourning atmosphere the occasion demanded.
“We pleaded that the President should show leadership and visit Benue and Niger states in the spirit of deep national mourning, to offer compassion and solidarity to families torn apart by the senseless massacre of over 200 innocent Nigerians in Benue State and flooding that killed a similar number in Niger State,” Obi stated.
He added that, “The President arrived not in mourning cloth but in celebratory agbada attire, like it was an occasion for joy.”
Obi also condemned the display organized for Tinubu, alleging that children who should have been mourning were instead made to stand in the rain, singing and dancing as part of a rehearsed spectacle.
“In what kind of country does this happen? We have tragically arrived at a point where condolence visits have become carnivals. A time that should be marked by silence and solemnity is now polluted by banners, music, and rehearsed spectacles,” Obi lamented.
Drawing comparisons with leaders of other nations, Obi cited South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting how they conducted themselves with solemnity during recent national tragedies.
“When President Ramaphosa visited Mthatha after the floods in South Africa, there were no drums. No staged crowds. No rented cheers. Just presence, silence, and action. When Prime Minister Modi went to the site of a crash, no one lined up to welcome him. He came, he mourned, he acted. That is what leadership looks like in moments of pain,” he added.
Obi warned that the handling of such tragic events with fanfare was eroding the nation’s moral fibre.
“These were human beings, children, mothers, fathers whose blood cries out for justice. When very sad incidents like this turn to campaigns or festivals, our nation is losing its soul,” Obi stated.
Tinubu, during his visit to Benue on Wednesday, directed security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend those behind the killings, telling the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa: “We need to get our ears to the ground. Let’s get those criminals. Let’s get them out.”
The president also visited victims receiving treatment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital. He was accompanied by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and the state Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.