- Safiu Kehinde
The 2023 Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has charged President Bola Tinubu to suspend his retreat in France and return to Nigeria to address the security situation in the country.
Obi gave the charge in a statement shared on his official X handle on Wednesday.
In what he described as an ‘urgent call’ the former Anambra state governor recalled the scores of attacks on communities across Nigeria, especially in Plateau and Zamfara states, in the past two weeks.
The attacks, according to Obi, have claimed over 150 lives.
He also decried the killings and abductions in South-East and North-East.
Obi maintained that the primary duty of any government is securing the lives and property of its citizens.
While faulting Tinubu’s visit to France, Obi urged him to return home and take responsibility.
“I am compelled at this time in our lives as a nation to call on our retreating President’s attention to the security challenges at home, which entails that he immediately suspend his ongoing retreat in a foreign land and come home to address the overwhelming security situation across the country.
“This urgent call has become necessary following the rising incidents of crimes and criminalities all over Nigeria with an apparent absence of governance.
“In the 2 weeks you have been away, over 150 Nigerians have lost their lives to insecurity across Nigeria, especially in Plateau and Zamfara states.
“The repeated pipeline explosions in the Niger Delta, further reflect a nation in distress.
“In the North East, Borno state leaders are bemoaning the return of insurgency with troops and civilians being killed randomly.
“In the South East, the story is the same: killings and abduction. Amid all these, the CEO of the troubling company called Nigeria is retreating far away land in France from the Company’s headquarters. The primary duty of any government is securing the lives and property of its citizens and one wonders the type of retreat going on in another country where peace has been secured by their leaders while blood continues to flow in our country.
“The fight for a better Nigeria is not about individuals; it is about ensuring that every citizen can see, feel, and benefit from the policies and decisions of those in power.
“I, therefore like to urge Mr President to quickly suspend whatever he is doing in France and rush home to take responsibility by addressing these disturbing issues That is the new Nigeria that the nation seeks.” The LP Presidential candidate wrote.