The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu for not visiting Benue state amid the incessant killings.

In a post on X on Monday morning, Obi claimed it showed Tinubu does not value human lives.

He pointed to incidents in India and South Africa, as examples of what good leaders when tragedies happen.

There has been widespread outrage over Tinubu’s response to over 200 people being massacred by herders in Benue state.

The president’s statement came almost 24 hours after the incident, with Pope Leo even sending his condolences much earlier.

Obi wrote: “Sadly, the evidence is right before our eyes. Recently, we witnessed severe flooding in Niger State that claimed nearly 200 lives, with many still missing. Yet, not even a single presidential visit, this, in a nation where the scene of the tragedy is less than an hour away by helicopter.

“Just days ago, over 200 Nigerians, innocent men, women, children, and even soldiers were massacred in Benue State.

“Again, no presidential visit. No physical presence at the scenes of pain. No genuine national mourning. No leadership face to comfort the grieving or give hope to the people.

“Yet, we have seen what true leadership looks like elsewhere:

“In India, after a plane crash killed nearly 200 people, the Prime Minister was physically at the scene within hours.

“In South Africa, when floods claimed 78 lives, the president went personally to the affected communities, stood with them, and took responsibility.

“That is leadership with compassion. That is leadership that understands the value of human life. But here in Nigeria, we have normalised leadership without empathy, without accountability, and without a human face.

“That is why I insist: Nigeria does not just need another president; Nigeria needs a leader, a leader with competence, capacity, character, and compassion. Until we choose leaders on these principles, the cycle of pain will only continue.”

New leadership of Ochetoha K’Idoma Forum, an apex socio-cultural body for Idoma nation, has continued its consultation with stakeholders across Idoma land, particularly within Benue South Senatorial District, a few days after its emergence.

Latest of its visits was at the ancient Palace of the Och’Idoma in Otukpo, where His Royal Majesty, Agaba Idu, Dr. Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji John, CON, Och’Idoma V., received the Ochetoha K’Idoma top officials, led by the Professor Yakubu Aboki Ochefu.

The visit, which marked the first formal engagement of the Forum’s new National Executive Council with the traditional institution, carried the weight of tradition and the energy of renewal.

It was a symbolic homecoming and an institutional recommitment to mutual respect, unity, and shared responsibility between the royal stool and the socio-cultural custodian of Idoma identity.

In his royal address, he made clear the role of the throne as the moral compass and custodian of legitimacy for all bodies acting in the name of the Idoma Nation. 

He declared with conviction, “The throne is not in competition with Ochetoha K’Idoma. It is your root. And every tree that forgets its root cannot grow”.

He urged the leadership of the Forum to stay focused on the sacred mission of safeguarding Idoma values, enhancing development, and speaking for the voiceless in these uncertain times.

“You are the collective conscience of the people. When you speak, let your words carry both wisdom and the weight of history. Go and succeed with my blessing”, the monarch said, offering prayers and encouragement.

Earlier, President-General of Ochetoha K’Idoma, Professor Ochefu, accompanied by the Forum’s Secretary-General, Chief Dr. Paul Edeh and members of the National Executive Council, extended deep gratitude to His Royal Majesty for his fatherly reception and insightful counsel. 

The President-General assured that under his stewardship, the Forum would not only maintain its foundational principles but also scale new heights of institutional effectiveness.

He highlighted five thematic focus areas of the Forum to include unity of purpose among Idoma people at home and in the diaspora, cultural preservation in the face of modern erosion, policy advocacy on security and infrastructure, youth development through education and innovation, and coordinated engagement with government and private actors for economic revitalization.

“Our customs must not erode in the face of modernity”, Ochefu said. “We will safeguard our heritage while equipping our youth for the future. With your guidance, we shall anchor our agenda on respect, renewal, and relevance”.

The President-General also pledged to maintain a steady consultative relationship with the Palace, recognising the throne as a source of wisdom, stability, and historical continuity.

Also, the Forum’s National leadership met with the elected Chairmen of Local Government Councils in Benue South Senatorial District ,Zone C, with signaling a renewed commitment to building a secure and forward-looking homeland.

Present at the high-level engagement were the Chairmen of Agatu, Apa, Ogbadibo, Okpokwu, and Otukpo LGAs. Representing other Council Chairmen, they brought voices from across the zone into what many described as a long-overdue dialogue on the future of the Idoma people.

Professor Ochefu, while addressing the gathering, underscored the historical context and urgency of unity. 

He stressed that the socio-economic aspirations of the Idoma Nation must be anchored in deliberate planning, educational empowerment, and collective effort. 

Drawing attention to underutilised development assets such as the Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo, FUHSO, Otobi Dam, and the strategic Oju Road corridor, he called for joint advocacy to make these assets engines of growth.