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Labour Party’s Peter Obi has criticised President Tinubu for skipping Yelwata, the epicentre of recent killings in Benue, during his condolence visit. Tinubu blamed rain, flooding, and poor roads for his decision, but Obi says leadership means showing up when it matters most.
  • Tinubu avoided Yelwata, citing impassable roads and flood risk.
  • Obi calls it an excuse, saying “leadership is sacrifice, not comfort.”
  • He questions why helicopters weren’t used, given the presidential air fleet.
  • Obi says Benue citizens needed presence, not protocol or fanfare.
  • He slams the state for declaring a public holiday during a time of mourning.

In a country where bad roads symbolise both state neglect and citizens' endurance, the president’s refusal to journey to a grieving community felt like a betrayal. Nigerians aren't just reacting to poor infrastructure, they’re responding to the emotional distance from power. Obi’s words echo the people’s cry: “If the president can’t reach us, who will?”

Obi’s critique turns Tinubu’s absence in Yelwata into a metaphor for a wider disconnect in governance. As survivors buried their dead, they were met not with empathy, but excuses. In Nigeria, where tragedy demands presence, "The Road Not Taken" says everything.