Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, has expressed deep sorrow over the recent series of stampedes across Nigeria that claimed dozens of lives. Obi described the incidents as a tragic reflection of the nation’s “systemic failures.”
The first of these stampedes occurred on Wednesday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during a funfair where over 35 individuals, mostly children, lost their lives. On Saturday, two more tragic incidents unfolded during the distribution of rice and relief materials in Ojika, a community in Anambra State, and in the Maitama area of Abuja. The Anambra stampede resulted in over 20 fatalities, while the Abuja incident claimed at least 10 lives.
In a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Obi lamented the desperation that led to these tragedies, noting that they underline the dire economic conditions faced by many Nigerians. He questioned how such calamities could occur in a country endowed with abundant natural and human resources.
“While I will not cast blame but instead appreciate the organizers of these respective events for their kind gestures in providing palliatives and support to society, especially the poor, these tragedies reflect the systemic failures that plague our society,” Obi wrote. “The desperate quest for survival in these harsh economic times has driven our people to extremes in their search for food, often at the cost of their lives.”
Obi expressed his anguish over the incidents, asking, “How do we explain that in a nation blessed with abundant resources, our people are dying of hunger in such numbers? How is it possible that we cannot feed our citizens despite the vast, fertile lands our nation is endowed with? My heart bleeds.”
The former Anambra State governor extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, noting the unimaginable pain they must be enduring. He also commiserated with the governments and people of the affected states.
In response to the tragedies, President Bola Tinubu cancelled all his official engagements in Lagos to honour the victims of the Abuja and Anambra stampedes.
The incidents have reignited conversations about poverty, food insecurity, and the urgent need for systemic reforms to address the economic and social challenges that drive citizens to such extremes.
