The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has expressed disappointment over the manner in which President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to Benue State was conducted following the killing of residents by a militant group.
In a strongly worded statement, Adebayo criticized the visit, describing it as politicized and lacking the seriousness such a tragic event demands.
He said it was disheartening to see a town hall meeting convened in the aftermath of a massacre reduced to political rhetoric.
“Our entire governmental doctrine and leadership mentality in Nigeria needs a thorough revamp, and our people desperately need mental liberation. How could the emphasis be on the 2027 election and not on the sadistic massacre?” Adebayo queried.
He took exception to President Tinubu’s focus on the personal sacrifice made to visit the state, saying such a narrative overshadowed the pressing need to address the leadership failures that allowed the attacks to occur.
“The bulk of the president’s speech was centered on the sacrifice he made to visit Benue, rather than addressing the glaring leadership lapses and the breach of constitutional duty to secure citizens. No observer would believe that the people of this great state had just suffered a gruesome massacre days earlier,” he said.
Adebayo also condemned the traditional rulers in the affected area for what he described as insensitivity to the plight of their subjects. He said instead of mourning the dead or demanding justice, the monarchs used the moment to endorse President Tinubu for a second term.
“That the traditional rulers felt the need to pledge their ‘massive support’ for President Tinubu in 2027 on such a sombre occasion is both pathetic and undignified. I could not believe my eyes and ears,” he stated.
He lamented the deepening decline in the political culture of the country and called for a new direction in leadership.
“The political elite’s deterioration seems irredeemable. A new direction is inevitable. May God help Nigeria. We must bid farewell to poverty and insecurity in this country,” he added.
