Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 Nigerian elections, Peter Obi, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to terminate his working visit to France and return home to offer the leadership necessary to ensure the safety of Nigerians.
In a statement shared on his X account on Wednesday, Obi expressed his anguish over the killings of Nigerians, particularly in Plateau and Zamfara, where more than 150 individuals have been murdered.
“I am compelled at this time in our lives as a nation to call on our retreating President’s attention to the security challenges at home, which entails that he immediately suspend his ongoing retreat in a foreign land and come home to address the overwhelming security situation across the country.
“This urgent call has become necessary following the rising incidents of crimes and criminality all over Nigeria, with an apparent absence of governance.
“In the 2 weeks you have been away, over 150 Nigerians have lost their lives to insecurity across Nigeria, especially in Plateau and Zamfara states.” Obi said.
He pointed out that many Nigerians have lost their lives across the country during President Tinubu’s retreat in France, referencing the resurgence of Boko Haram in the Southeast, oil pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta, and an increase in kidnappings in various regions.
Obi questioned Tinubu’s decision to retreat to France, a nation known for its strong security measures, while his own country, where he serves as the chief executive, struggles with significant insecurity. He described the nation as being in turmoil and compared the President to a CEO who has fled from the headquarters of his struggling company. He called on the President to take immediate and impactful measures.
The President’s spokesperson, in a statement released on Monday, expressed Tinubu’s profound sorrow regarding the recent violence in Plateau State, where over 40 people were killed.
The President urged the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, to muster the political will needed to restore peace and stability and called for solidarity among religious and ethnic groups and appealed to leaders to collaborate in breaking the cycle of violence.
On Tuesday, Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang visited the Zikke community in the Bassa Local Government Area, where 51 individuals were slain in a vicious attack on Monday.
