National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the Federal Government’s response to the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, claiming Governor Seyi Makinde told him he had not received a phone call from the President since the incident.
Obi made the claim in a statement shared on social media after visiting Makinde in Ibadan, where he said they discussed the security situation and the efforts to secure the victims’ release.
Obi recounts meeting with Makinde
According to Obi, he visited the Oyo State governor on July 3 alongside Prof. Pat Utomi to express solidarity following the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.
He said he was surprised when Makinde allegedly told him that President Tinubu had not contacted him since the incident.
“To my utmost shock, I discovered that Governor Seyi Makinde had not received a single call from President Bola Tinubu.”
Compares Tinubu’s response with previous administrations
Obi said that while serving as Governor of Anambra State, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan personally contacted state governors during major security incidents.
He also referenced the 2014 abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls, noting that Tinubu, then an opposition leader, criticised Jonathan over his handling of the crisis.
According to Obi, there have been multiple school abductions under the current administration, and he argued that the President’s response has fallen short of public expectations.
Calls on Tinubu to resign or forgo re-election
Obi said the continued insecurity reflected what he described as a failure of leadership.
He urged President Tinubu to either resign from office or decline to seek re-election in 2027.
According to Obi, his comments were motivated by concern over the country’s security challenges rather than partisan politics.
Presidency yet to respond
As of the time of filing this report, the Presidency had not publicly responded to Obi’s claims regarding the alleged lack of communication between President Tinubu and Governor Makinde….See More
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