In the spate of insecurity in the country, Labour Party Presidential Candidate Peter Obi has cast the minds of Nigerians back to Bola Tinubu’s promise of making security a top priority at his inaugural speech in May 2023.
Obi, who previously served as the governor of Anambra State, used his X page to highlight the increasing number of security incidents since Tinubu took office despite his promises.
On Monday, Obi tweeted a report from The Economist of London, which underscored the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria and the apparent lack of political determination to tackle it.
The report pointed out that despite Tinubu’s commitment to prioritize security during his inauguration, over 3,600 individuals were abducted in 2023, marking the highest number ever recorded by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a global conflict tracker.
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Obi’s statements were in response to critics who, he claims, have been tarnishing his reputation due to his critique of the flawed Nigerian government system.
He wrote, “For those who have continued to see my issue-based constructive criticism of a bad system as bad and are maligning my person and the Obidients for seeking good governance and a better future for all Nigerians, let them now read this report from the respected international newsmagazine, The Economist of London, and do the same.”
He further added, “How much politicians in Nigeria care about national insecurity has long been correlated with how close it gets to their mansions in Abuja, the capital. On its outskirts on January 2nd, a father and his six daughters were kidnapped, prompting a rare outcry on high.
“A crowdfunding effort to pay the ransom was even backed by a former minister. But the kidnappers instead killed one of the girls and demanded more cash.
“The wife of President Bola Tinubu publicly lamented a “devastating loss.” Yet such horrors are still appallingly frequent—and largely ignored by politicians.
“In one incident last week in the southeast, 45 people were kidnapped and are still missing, yet few leaders spoke out. The deadliest zone is the northeast, where jihadists linked to the Islamic State attack the army and villages.”
Obi’s tweet sparked a variety of reactions from both supporters and detractors, with some commending his bravery and honesty, while others accused him of being divisive and opportunistic.