The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has claimed that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde told him President Bola Tinubu had not contacted him more than 50 days after the abduction of schoolchildren in the state, describing the development as further evidence of what he called a worsening leadership crisis.

In a post on his X handle on Monday titled “Worsening Leadership Crisis in the Country Now Evident,” Obi criticised the President’s handling of insecurity, accusing the Tinubu administration of lacking the compassion and leadership required to tackle the country’s security challenges.

Obi said he had publicly appealed twice to the kidnappers to release the abducted pupils and had also spoken with Governor Makinde on two occasions to express solidarity, stressing that the incident was “a Nigerian tragedy” and not merely an Oyo State issue.

“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 wrote.

“Since this unfortunate incident, I have spoken publicly about it twice, including appealing directly to the kidnappers to release the children. I also called the governor twice to assure him of my solidarity, understanding that this issue is not just an Oyo problem but a Nigerian tragedy.”

The former Anambra State governor said he visited Ibadan on Friday, July 3, alongside economist Prof. Pat Utomi, where they met with Makinde to discuss the security situation and possible ways of addressing the crisis.

According to Obi, he shared his experience of managing insecurity while serving as governor of Anambra State, recalling that former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan regularly reached out to governors whenever serious security incidents occurred in their states.

Obi said he was shocked when Makinde allegedly told him that President Tinubu had not made a single phone call to him since the schoolchildren were abducted more than seven weeks ago.

“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,” he stated.

Drawing a comparison with the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, Obi recalled that Tinubu was among those who criticised then-President Goodluck Jonathan for delaying contact with the affected state governor. He argued that the same standard should now apply, insisting that the President should either resign or decline to seek re-election in 2027 if he could not demonstrate effective leadership in addressing insecurity.

“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. Governance has completely collapsed under this administration,” Obi said, adding that his call was patriotic rather than political.

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has claimed that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde told him President Bola Tinubu had not contacted him more than 50 days after the abduction of schoolchildren in the state, describing the development as further evidence of what he called a worsening leadership crisis.

In a post on his X handle on Monday titled “Worsening Leadership Crisis in the Country Now Evident,” Obi criticised the President’s handling of insecurity, accusing the Tinubu administration of lacking the compassion and leadership required to tackle the country’s security challenges.

Obi said he had publicly appealed twice to the kidnappers to release the abducted pupils and had also spoken with Governor Makinde on two occasions to express solidarity, stressing that the incident was “a Nigerian tragedy” and not merely an Oyo State issue.

“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 wrote.

“Since this unfortunate incident, I have spoken publicly about it twice, including appealing directly to the kidnappers to release the children. I also called the governor twice to assure him of my solidarity, understanding that this issue is not just an Oyo problem but a Nigerian tragedy.”

The former Anambra State governor said he visited Ibadan on Friday, July 3, alongside economist Prof. Pat Utomi, where they met with Makinde to discuss the security situation and possible ways of addressing the crisis.

According to Obi, he shared his experience of managing insecurity while serving as governor of Anambra State, recalling that former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan regularly reached out to governors whenever serious security incidents occurred in their states.

Obi said he was shocked when Makinde allegedly told him that President Tinubu had not made a single phone call to him since the schoolchildren were abducted more than seven weeks ago.

“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,” he stated.

Drawing a comparison with the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, Obi recalled that Tinubu was among those who criticised then-President Goodluck Jonathan for delaying contact with the affected state governor. He argued that the same standard should now apply, insisting that the President should either resign or decline to seek re-election in 2027 if he could not demonstrate effective leadership in addressing insecurity.

“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. Governance has completely collapsed under this administration,” Obi said, adding that his call was patriotic rather than political.