Obi: Tinubu hasn’t called Makinde over Oyo School Abduction

Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has intensified pressure on President Bola Tinubu over the worsening security situation in the country. He alleged that the President failed to personally reach out to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde more than 50 days after bandits abducted 37 pupils and teachers in the state. […]

Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has intensified pressure on President Bola Tinubu over the worsening security situation in the country.

He alleged that the President failed to personally reach out to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde more than 50 days after bandits abducted 37 pupils and teachers in the state.

Obi, who disclosed details of a recent visit to Makinde in Ibadan, said he was taken aback after the governor informed him that he had not received a single telephone call from the President since the May 15 attack on a school in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo.

The former Anambra State governor described the alleged lack of communication as disturbing and said it reflected a deficit of compassion and leadership at the highest level of government.

In a statement shared on his social media platforms, Obi argued that the continued captivity of the schoolchildren and teachers, alongside many other kidnap victims across the country, underscored the depth of Nigeria’s security crisis.

“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,” he said.

According to him, he had earlier spoken publicly on the incident and appealed directly to the kidnappers to free the victims, while also placing calls to Governor Makinde to express solidarity before deciding to visit him alongside economist and political activist, Pat Utomi.

Obi said the meeting, which lasted about two hours, provided an opportunity to discuss security challenges and his experiences in tackling insecurity while serving as governor of Anambra State.

He recalled that during his tenure, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan regularly contacted state governors whenever serious security incidents occurred.

“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,” Obi stated.

Drawing comparisons with the 2014 abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls, Obi said Tinubu, then an opposition leader, was among those who criticised Jonathan’s handling of the crisis and demanded his resignation over “delayed presidential intervention”.

He argued that the present administration had witnessed more than 13 school kidnapping incidents, yet had failed to demonstrate the urgency expected in responding to such tragedies.

“Today, under President Tinubu, there have been more than 13 school kidnappings, yet the President has found it difficult to call the affected state’s chief executive after more than 50 days. This is outrageous,” Obi said.

The presidential candidate maintained that the country’s security challenges had reached a level that called for decisive leadership.

He insisted that the inability to stem repeated attacks on schools and communities reflected a broader governance failure.

He further accused the Federal Government of lacking both the capacity and empathy required to confront the nation’s insecurity.

He said the lives of kidnapped children, teachers and other citizens should rank above every other national priority.

Obi consequently renewed his demand for Tinubu to either resign from office or decline to seek another term in 2027.

He argued that the appeal was driven by national interest rather than partisan considerations.

“This call is patriotic, not political. A new Nigeria is possible,” he declared.

Obi’s remarks add to mounting criticism from opposition figures over the Federal Government’s handling of insecurity.

There have been repeated incidents of mass abductions which have continued to fuel concerns about the safety of schools and rural communities across the country.

The Presidency has consistently maintained that security agencies are intensifying operations against criminal groups and has urged Nigerians to support ongoing efforts to restore peace nationwide.