The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has accused President Bola Tinubu of abandoning the victims of the Oriire schoolchildren abduction in Oyo State, saying the Federal Government’s response reflects a lack of compassion and leadership.
In a statement released on Monday, Obi criticised the President’s handling of the worsening security situation, claiming that more than 50 days after the schoolchildren were abducted, there had been no meaningful effort to secure their release.
“The government and people of Oyo State, more than 50 days after the abduction of the schoolchildren without any tangible effort toward their rescue, should rightly feel bitter and abandoned,” Obi said.
He added, “The ultimate cost of uncompassionate leadership, as evident in the country today, is turning citizens’ frustration into deep, volatile resentment. It is even more traumatising when the leader presiding over that collapse demonstrates clear incapacity and a lack of compassion.”
Obi disclosed that he had publicly spoken about the incident twice, including appealing directly to the kidnappers to release the children.
He also revealed that he had called Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde twice to express solidarity.
The former Anambra State governor said he travelled to Ibadan on July 3 alongside political economist Professor Pat Utomi, where they held a two-hour meeting with Governor Makinde to discuss insecurity and possible solutions based on his experience as governor.
According to Obi, he was shocked to discover that President Tinubu had not personally contacted Makinde over the abduction.
“But, 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,” he said.
Drawing a comparison with the Chibok schoolgirls’ kidnapping, Obi recalled that although former President Goodluck Jonathan faced criticism for taking more than two weeks to contact the Borno State governor, security agencies still provided regular updates on rescue efforts.
He further alleged that Tinubu was among those who criticised Jonathan at the time, adding, “I vividly recall that the current President, Bola Tinubu, led a team of vocal critics who called for President Jonathan’s immediate resignation over the incident, citing his delay in calling the state governor. That call for IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION should actually be the case in this matter.”
Obi also claimed that more than 13 school kidnappings had occurred under Tinubu’s administration and questioned whether the President had contacted affected governors in those cases.
“I cannot imagine any issue more important than the lives of our kidnapped children, their teachers, and the many other Nigerians being held captive across the country. It is now an indisputable fact that governance has completely collapsed under this administration,” he said.
Describing the situation as evidence of failed leadership, Obi added, “Amid such an apparent display of incompetence, the President should either resign or, at the very least, abstain from seeking re-election for the sake of our dear country.”
He maintained that his call was “patriotic, not political,” insisting that Nigerians deserve leadership that prioritises the safety and welfare of its citizens
