The leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its 2023 presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has expressed disappointment with the way and manner President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Benue State over the recent killing by Fulani herdsmen was trivialized and reduced to politics.

Insisting that Nigerians must be serious with the way they tackle important issues, Adebayo described Tinubu’s Benue town hall meeting during the visit as sickening.

Writing in his official X handle, he said: “Our entire governmental doctrine and leadership mentality in Nigeria needs a thorough revamp and our people desperately need mental liberation. How could the emphasis be on the 2027 election and little on the sadistic massacre?” 

He took exception to President Tinubu’s emphasis on his sacrifice to visit Benue instead of addressing the leadership lapses that led to such wanton destruction of innocent lives.

He said: “The bulk of the speech is on the sacrifice @officialABAT had to make to promptly respond to the killing, instead of critical questions about the failure of leadership and breach of the constitutional duty to secure the citizens. No observer would believe that the people of this great state have just suffered a dastardly and gruesome massacre merely a few days ago.”

He also condemned the traditional rulers in the affected area for their insensitivity to the plight of their subjects. 

Adebayo noted that rather than grieve over the unfortunate incident, the traditional rulers were busy endorsing Tinubu for a second term in 2027. 

“That the traditional rulers felt that they had to pledge their ‘massive support’ for @officialABAT in the 2027 election on this sombre occasion is both pathetic and undignified. I could not believe my eyes and ears. The political elite’s deterioration seems irredeemable. A new direction is inevitable; May God help Nigeria. We need to bid farewell to poverty and insecurity in Nigeria,” he stated.

​