Deadly Stampede: “Peter Obi Benefits From Misfortune, Confusion” – Presidency

The Nigerian government, led by President Bola Tinubu, has criticized former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, accusing him of using recent tragic stampedes across the country to further his political agenda. The allegations were made by Sunday Dare, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, via his official X account.

The accusations followed multiple stampedes that claimed dozens of lives in separate incidents. On Wednesday, approximately 40 children lost their lives during a stampede at a children’s fair in Ibadan, Oyo State. On Saturday, a stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, during the distribution of rice and other palliatives, led to the death of 10 individuals. Similarly, at least 17 residents in Okija, Anambra State, died in a separate stampede over rice palliatives.

Reacting to the tragedies, Peter Obi took to X to condemn the incidents, attributing them to the government’s failure to address hunger and economic hardship in the country. Obi lamented that despite Nigeria’s abundant resources, citizens were dying of hunger.

In response, Dare criticized Obi’s comments, calling them indecent and accusing him of capitalizing on national tragedies. “When seeking someone who benefits from the misfortune of others or from confusion — what the Yoruba people describe as Aríje nínú Màdàrú — look no further than Peter Obi,” Dare wrote. He added that Obi’s remarks lacked statesmanship and decency, describing them as an attempt to score cheap political points.

Dare contrasted Obi’s response with President Tinubu’s actions, stating that Tinubu had canceled all engagements to express profound sadness over the loss of lives and had ordered an immediate investigation into the incidents. “This is the way of true leadership,” Dare said, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to addressing the root causes of such tragedies.

The Tinubu administration reiterated its focus on tackling Nigeria’s economic challenges to improve the standard of living for ordinary citizens.