Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has come down hard on President Bola Tinubu for failing to visit Yelwata, the Benue State community where scores were recently killed, accusing him of offering a “flimsy excuse” to evade a duty of national empathy and leadership.

In a statement on his X-handle, Obi said leadership is not about comfort or excuses but about sacrifice, presence, and responsibility — especially in moments of national grief.

“It is deeply troubling that following the brutal massacre in Yelwata, the president claimed he could not visit the victims due to bad roads. That explanation is not only unacceptable — it is disheartening,” he added.

Obi questioned how the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces could cite infrastructure as a barrier, especially when days had passed between the attack and the president’s appearance in the state.

“If the President cannot reach his own citizens because of bad roads, what hope exists for the ordinary Nigerian, who plies those roads every day — without the benefit of convoys or air fleets?” Obi asked.

The former Anambra governor pointed out that presidential aides and advance staff reportedly made it to Yelwata, suggesting the route was navigable.

He also stated that there are helicopters in the presidential air fleet, wondering why an airlift was not arranged if the roads were truly impassable.

“This is not about logistics — it’s about priorities. The people of Benue didn’t need protocol or press statements. They needed to see their president. They needed compassion, not excuses,” he said.

Obi noted that Nigeria cannot afford a leadership style that evades responsibility in moments of national tragedy.

“We cannot build a New Nigeria on evasion. It must be built on truth, courage, and presence,” he maintained.