Presidential hopeful Peter Obi sharply criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today, following a wave of deadly attacks across multiple Nigerian states that occurred within days of the President’s pledge to prevent further bloodshed.
Obi, the Labour Party candidate for the 2027 election, released a scathing statement titled “This Experience Will Not Repeat Itself”. Another Presidential Promise fails in less than 24 Hours,” highlighting the stark contrast between Tinubu’s words and the escalating reality on the ground.
Just last week, President Tinubu, while visiting Jos, Plateau State, assured grieving citizens that the recent attacks in the region would not be repeated. However, less than 24 hours later, another attack in Nyamgo Gyel, Jos South LGA, claimed more lives. Since then, the situation has rapidly deteriorated.
Obi’s statement details a harrowing series of incidents: at least 11 deaths and mass displacement in Nasarawa State following attacks on the Akyawa and Udege Kasa communities; the abduction of 150 people from communities in Zamfara State in what is being described as one of the largest mass kidnappings in recent memory; a terrorist attack in Borno State’s Chibok, resulting in four officer deaths and widespread destruction; and a brutal Easter Sunday massacre in Benue State, leaving over 17 dead and communities in ruins.
Today, Kaduna State saw further violence, with attacks on churches and abductions in the Ariko community.
“Yet we were told, ‘This experience will not repeat itself,’” Obi wrote, framing the events as a “failure of leadership and responsibility.”
He argued that the President’s inability to deliver on his promise demonstrates a critical failure to fulfill the government’s primary duty: protecting its citizens.
Obi was particularly critical of the President’s lack of direct engagement with the affected communities.
“Even the President did not enter these communities, so who is truly safe in Nigeria?” he questioned, implying a disconnect between the government and the people suffering the most.
The former Anambra State Governor characterized the situation as a “national emergency,” stating that “Nigeria is bleeding, and the situation is worsening and increasingly helpless.”
He concluded his statement with his campaign slogan, “A New Nigeria is POssible,” implicitly positioning himself as the alternative to the current administration’s perceived failures.
The statement is likely to fuel further debate over the government’s handling of the ongoing security crisis, particularly in the North Central and North East regions of the country.
Critics argue that the Tinubu administration needs to adopt a more proactive and comprehensive strategy to address the root causes of the violence and restore security to affected communities.
The opposition is expected to leverage these recent events in the lead-up to the 2027 presidential election.
