The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned the rising killings across the country, urging leaders and fellow politicians to prioritise the lives of Nigerians over preparations for the 2027 general elections.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Obi described the situation as profoundly disturbing, noting that politicians continue to obsess over the 2027 election, expending energy on scheming about how to capture, grab, and run the next election.
“The first two months of 2026 have reportedly seen the killing of over 1,000 Nigerians and the abduction of several thousand others.
“This is the painful reality confronting our nation. From Zamfara State to Kwara, Ondo, Kebbi, Edo, Benue, Adamawa, Plateau, and many other states, families have buried loved ones, and communities have been emptied by gunshots and fear,” he lamented.
Obi pointed out that in over 25 states across all geopolitical zones this year alone, there have been major violent attacks on innocent citizens, kidnappings by armed bandits, mass shootings, village invasions, and brazen assaults on worshippers and travellers.
He stated that the scale of bloodshed and the number of deaths recorded in just two months in Nigeria are worse than what is seen in some countries officially at war.
“Yet the urgency with which we discuss these tragedies does not match the urgency of our discussions surrounding zoning formulas, party structures, and campaign strategies. This is the tragedy of our politics.
“We debate power sharing while citizens are sharing funeral programs. I watched in tears yesterday as families in the Doruwa Babuje community in Plateau State buried their dead after attacks by armed terrorists,” Obi said.
He emphasised that discussions are focused on party issues and the 2027 elections, when it is not certain whether Nigerians will be alive to witness them. “Given all the deaths happening in our country today, we strategise about 2027 while Nigerians struggle to survive 2026. This is inhumane.”
He urged Nigerian leaders to elevate human life to a sacred status in national priorities, stressing that leadership is not about winning elections but about saving lives.
Obi also encouraged leaders to aspire to a Nigeria devoid of bloodshed — a nation where governance is measured not by political dominance but by the safety and dignity of its people.
He further asserted that history will not remember how many strategies were perfected for 2027, but whether leaders acted when Nigerians were dying.
He added that leaders must prioritise Nigerian lives over politics and put Nigerians first.
