Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu for failing to communicate with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde following the abduction of 37 school pupils and teachers in the state.
The mass abduction, which took place on May 15 in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, has left the victims in captivity for over 50 days. Obi expressed his dismay over the federal government’s handling of the crisis during a solidarity visit to Governor Makinde in Ibadan on July 3, alongside Professor Pat Utomi.
A Shocking Lack of Communication
During a two-hour meeting with Governor Makinde, Obi revealed his shock upon discovering that President Tinubu had not reached out to the Oyo State Governor since the tragedy occurred. Obi explained that during his tenure as Governor of Anambra State, past presidents including Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan regularly maintained direct telephone contact with state executives during major security emergencies.
“To my utmost shock, I discovered that, contrary to my assumption that they had been in regular communication over the matter, Governor Seyi Makinde had not received a single call from President Bola Tinubu,” Obi stated in a detailed social media update.
Obi Draws Parallels to the Chibok Girls’ Abduction
The opposition leader pointed out a stark irony in President Tinubu’s current silence. He recalled that during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls sparked nationwide and international outrage. At the time, Tinubu, who was a leading opposition figure, fiercely criticized Jonathan and demanded his immediate resignation for taking over two weeks to contact the state governor.
Obi argued that under Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria has recorded more than 13 school abductions, yet the presidency has failed to engage directly with affected state governors even after seven weeks. He asserted that the same standard of accountability should apply today, suggesting that the president should consider resigning or declining to seek re-election in 2027 due to what he described as a complete collapse of governance.
The Call for Compassionate Leadership
Lamenting the state of security in the country, Obi described the administration’s approach as a reflection of a lack of empathy and capacity, which risks turning the frustration of citizens into volatile resentment. He emphasized that the lives of kidnapped children and their teachers must remain a top national priority.
- Over 50 days have passed since the 37 Oyo pupils and teachers were abducted.
- The incident occurred in the Oriire Local Government Area on May 15.
- Over 13 school abductions have been recorded under the current administration.
Obi urged the federal government to act swiftly to rescue the captives and restore the confidence of Nigerians in the state’s capacity to protect its citizens.