Obi Slams Tinubu Over Silence on Benue, Niger Tragedies: ‘Leadership Without Empathy’

Peter Obi

Peter Obi, former Anambra State governor and presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has criticized President Bola Tinubu for failing to visit communities affected by recent tragedies in Benue and Niger states, describing the absence of empathy and physical presence as a major failure of leadership.

In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, Obi lamented that despite the loss of nearly 200 lives in flooding in Niger State and over 200 deaths from violent attacks in Benue, the president did not personally visit either location to comfort the victims or their families.

“True leaders show compassion by being present in times of pain and suffering,” Obi wrote.

He emphasized that leadership cannot hide its success or failure, and pointed to four core qualities—Competence, Capacity, Character, and Compassion—as essential for a nation to progress.

> “These four Cs must be present. Without them, there’s no magic that can save a country,” he said, reiterating his belief that Nigerians must stop voting along ethnic and religious lines and start choosing leaders based on merit and humane values.

Obi Points to Global Examples of Compassionate Leadership

Obi contrasted Nigeria’s current reality with global responses, citing:

India, where the Prime Minister visited the scene of a deadly plane crash within hours.

South Africa, where the President personally met flood victims and took responsibility for the crisis.

“That is what leadership with a human face looks like. But in Nigeria, we’ve normalized leadership without empathy, without accountability, and without any real emotional connection to the people,” Obi said.

He criticized the lack of national mourning or visible leadership presence following the killings in Benue, noting that grieving families were left alone, without comfort or reassurance from the highest office in the land.

A Call for Transformational Leadership

Obi reiterated that Nigeria doesn’t just need a president, but a leader who embodies the four Cs and can take the country out of its current cycle of pain and neglect.

“Until we start electing leaders based on competence, capacity, character, and compassion, we will continue to suffer the consequences of failed leadership,” he warned.

Daily Trust

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