No Light, I Fly Out” — Peter Obi Slams Presidential “Disconnect”

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has issued a sharp critique of President Bola Tinubu’s Thursday visit to Plateau State, following a violent attack in Jos North that claimed over 28 lives on Palm Sunday.

According to reports initially published by Vanguard, Obi alleged that the President’s condolence visit was restricted to a 10-minute stopover at the Yakubu Gowon Airport. Obi quoted the President as saying, “You have no light here – I fly out in ten minutes,” citing the lack of electricity at the airport as a primary reason for the abbreviated stay.

While the Presidency, through Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, defended the move—stating that logistical constraints and the airport’s inability to support night flights necessitated the brief, airport-based meeting—Obi characterized the event as a “glaring display of disregard” for the grieving families.

The Conscience vs. The Clock

Let’s be clear about what happened on that tarmac. While the families of Angwan Rukuba were still counting their dead, the leadership of this country was counting minutes.

As Grace reported, the President spent roughly ten minutes at the airport because there was “no light.” But where is the light for the mother clutching the bloodied clothes of her son? Where was the “logistics” for the 28 people who didn’t get to “fly out” when the gunmen arrived?

We have two Nigerias: one where the President cannot stay 15 minutes without air conditioning and constant power, and another where the citizens are expected to endure years of darkness and “cycles of violence” without a single visit to their actual homes. This isn’t just a logistical failure; it is an Empathy Deficit.

The Ghost of 2023 Promises

My people, I remember the campaign trail in 2023. I remember the promise: “If I don’t give you constant electricity in four years, don’t vote for me for a second term.” As we established in the History of the Office of the Nigerian First Lady, our leaders often prefer the “shadow” of governance to the “substance.” Peter Obi’s critique reminds us that in 2023, we had over 4,000MW. Today, despite the ₦68.3 Trillion Budget, we are hearing about “night flight restrictions” because of a lack of navigational aids at a major state airport.

In the old days, a leader entered the town to sit with the elders. Today, the leader stays at the foot of the aircraft. As the political analyst often says, when a leader says “I fly out in ten minutes,” he is telling you exactly where you stand on his list of priorities.