Peter Obi Commends Tinubu’s Visit to Benue, Urges Immediate Attention to Niger Flood Victims
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has publicly thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for finally deciding to visit Benue State, following the brutal massacre of over 150 people in a deadly attack that shocked the entire nation.
However, while commending the President for the planned visit to Benue, Obi also used the opportunity to draw urgent attention to another tragedy—this time, in Mokwa, Niger State, where over 200 people lost their lives and over 1,000 are still missing due to a devastating flood that swept through the community.
Obi, who took to his verified social media handle to express his concerns, emphasized that presidential visits should not be selective and should reflect equal empathy for all victims of tragedies across Nigeria—be it due to man-made violence or natural disasters.
A Nation in Pain: Obi Commends the Presidential Response to Benue Killings
The recent massacre in Benue State has been described by many, including security experts, civil society organizations, and international observers, as one of the most heart-wrenching episodes of communal violence in recent Nigerian history. Over 150 people, many of them women and children, were reported to have been brutally killed by unknown gunmen, suspected to be armed herdsmen.
In response to the delay in visiting the scene of the killings, many Nigerians had criticized the Federal Government for what they described as “insensitive silence.” Therefore, President Tinubu’s eventual decision to visit Benue was seen as a necessary, though overdue, gesture.
In his social media post, Peter Obi acknowledged this development with appreciation:
“It was refreshing news on Monday to a bewildered nation learning that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally decided to visit the scene of the brutal killings in Benue State. For this, I thank him…”
But Obi didn’t stop at thanking the President. He went further to challenge the administration to extend the same level of empathy and urgency to other parts of the country experiencing severe humanitarian crises.
The Mokwa Tragedy: Obi Calls for Equal Presidential Attention to Niger Flood Victims
Peter Obi then brought to light the horrifying situation in Mokwa, a town in Niger State that recently experienced one of the deadliest flooding incidents in Nigeria’s recent history. According to Obi, the flooding led to the confirmed deaths of over 200 people, with more than 1,000 still unaccounted for. Entire homes were destroyed, families displaced, and livelihoods wiped away in a matter of hours.
Obi questioned why such a monumental natural disaster had not yet drawn the same kind of direct presidential attention:
“...even as I make further request that similar gesture should be extended to Niger state that lost more number of human lives in a natural disaster, flood recently.”
In Nigeria, flooding has been a recurring seasonal disaster, worsened by climate change, poor drainage systems, and unregulated urban development. However, the scale of devastation in Mokwa has been particularly alarming, making it deserving of urgent national focus.
Obi Criticizes Delayed Visits and Lack of Urgency
Peter Obi noted that timely intervention and physical presence by the nation's leader would send a powerful signal that no Nigerian life is less important than another. He criticized the practice of scheduling future dates for presidential visits to crisis-hit zones, comparing it unfavorably with how other world leaders respond to such emergencies:
“Given the emergency nature of these incidents, a prompt visit would have delivered the urgency needed, instead of giving future dates that make it look like a state visit.”
In Obi’s view, the symbolism of a leader standing with their people in times of grief cannot be overstated. He added that such gestures of solidarity could be mentally uplifting to survivors and communities that often feel abandoned by the state.
Leadership by Example: Ramaphosa’s Visit as a Model
To reinforce his point, Peter Obi drew a comparison between President Tinubu’s response and that of President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, who, despite the lower number of casualties, made a long-distance trip to visit flood victims in his country:
“The distance from Abuja to these affected areas is not far. Abuja to Makurdi is about 282 km and Abuja to Mokwa is about 287 km. Combined, that’s roughly 1,134 km for a round trip to both locations…”
“...still significantly less than the 1,870 km round trip President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa recently made some days ago from Pretoria to Mthatha to personally visit flood victims in his country.”
Obi pointed out that fewer than 100 people died in the South African floods, yet Ramaphosa found it necessary to be physically present. In contrast, over 200 Nigerians died in Mokwa alone, yet no high-level government visit had taken place as at the time of his statement.
Every Nigerian Life Matters: Obi’s Call to President Tinubu
Peter Obi concluded his message with a passionate appeal to President Tinubu and the Nigerian government to demonstrate leadership with compassion, not just from behind closed doors, but with physical presence and action. He said:
“If the South African President could do it, we trust that you, as our own President, can do the same for your people.”
“Let your visit to Mokwa send a strong message, that all Nigerian lives matter, and that no community, no matter how rural, is forgotten.”
Obi further urged the President to strengthen national security, particularly in areas vulnerable to natural disasters and violent attacks. The goal, he argued, should be not just to react to tragedies but to prevent them through better planning, improved infrastructure, and early-warning systems.
Proactive, Not Remote-Control Leadership
Peter Obi’s final message carried a subtle but powerful critique of the current leadership style. In his words:
“We look forward to seeing not leadership by remote control but proactive leadership that responds not just with words, but with compassion and action.”
“A new Nigeria is POssible. - PO”
The Labour Party flagbearer’s use of “POssible”—a play on his initials “PO”—has become a rallying cry for millions of his supporters who continue to push for a more accountable, empathetic, and people-centered government.
Conclusion: Time to Show All Nigerians Matter
Peter Obi’s statement speaks to a larger concern many Nigerians have: that government responses to national tragedies are often inconsistent and politicized. In both Benue and Niger States, hundreds of families are grieving unimaginable losses. The question now is whether the government will rise to the occasion and show genuine empathy to all—not just through condolences and press releases, but through real, visible, and timely action.
For President Tinubu, this is not just a test of leadership—it is a chance to prove that every Nigerian, regardless of location, ethnicity, or political affiliation, matters to this administration.
