Category: Politics

‘Leadership Without Compassion is Not Leadership’ — Obi criticises Tinubu for ending Plateau visit at airport instead of affected communities

ABUJA, NIGERIA, 3 April 2026 (NPA) — Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential aspirant, Mr Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for failing to visit Angwan Rukuba in Jos North Local Government, where terrorists murdered innocent people last Sunday. Obi, in a statement on Friday, titled “Leadership Without Compassion is Not Leadership,” condemned what he described as the president’s lack of empathy.

Obi alleged that during Tinubu’s visit to Benue State in June 2025, the president stopped at the Government House instead of visiting the actual scene of killings, and that in Jos yesterday, his engagement ended at the airport rather than in the affected communities. “What happened in Plateau yesterday highlights a complete absence of leadership. True leadership requires presence, empathy, compassion, and a willingness to meet people where their pain truly lies. For citizens who have just lost loved ones, homes, and their sense of safety, being addressed from an airport tarmac is profoundly inadequate,” Obi said.

The former Anambra State Governor argued that Tinubu’s governance approach deepens the sense of abandonment already felt by Nigerians enduring repeated cycles of violence without meaningful protection or justice. “Plateau deserves more than distant words; it requires urgent action and a clear commitment to ending the insecurity that continues to claim innocent lives,” he added. 

Obi stressed that leadership must be both visible and tangible—standing with victims, listening to survivors, and acknowledging their grief. 

Signing off with his political slogan, “A new Nigeria is POssible. –PO,” Obi concluded that if Nigerians truly desire a better country, they must demand leadership that is present, responsive, and responsible at all times.

OGUDAGODOU, 3 April 2026 (NPA) — Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s military leader, has ignited global controversy after declaring that “people need to forget about democracy,” insisting Western‑style systems are unsuitable for his country. Speaking in a televised interview on April 2, 2026, Traoré argued that democracy “kills” and cited Libya as an example of failed attempts to impose foreign governance models. 

His remarks follow actions by his junta, including dissolving the electoral commission in 2025 and suspending all political parties in February 2026, effectively scrapping elections promised for 2024.

Traoré defended these measures as necessary to safeguard Burkina Faso’s sovereignty and stability, rejecting pressure from the UN, ECOWAS, and Western governments to return to civilian rule. He maintained that the country must pursue governance structures aligned with its own realities rather than imported systems. Analysts say his comments mark a deepening of authoritarian rule, with dissenting voices silenced and political freedoms curtailed. 

The statement has been trending across Africa and beyond, drawing sharp criticism from rights groups and international observers who warn that abandoning democracy risks worsening repression. Supporters, however, argue that Traoré is prioritising security and national survival in a region plagued by insurgency and foreign interference.

The controversy underscores the growing divide between military regimes in the Sahel and international institutions, raising questions about the future of governance in West Africa. As of 2026, nine African countries are under military rule: Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea, Chad, Sudan, Madagascar, Guinea‑Bissau, and Gabon. These regimes emerged from coups between 2020 and 2025, with West Africa most affected. 

The takeovers were often justified by claims of insecurity, corruption, or political crises, but they have led to suspended constitutions, delayed elections, and strained relations with ECOWAS and the African Union. This wave of coups has undermined democratic progress, fueled instability, and created economic and security challenges across the continent.

AFRICA, 3 April 2026 (NPA) — South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly condemned the ongoing US‑Israeli war against Iran, describing it as “another act of imperialist aggression that has placed the global economy and international security at great risk.” He made the remarks on 29 March during the African National Congress elective conference in Limpopo.

Ramaphosa’s comments come amid heightened tensions between Pretoria and Washington. Since January 2025, the United States has accused South Africa of committing “white genocide” against Afrikaners — allegations Ramaphosa’s government has dismissed as baseless and unsupported by evidence.

Relations further soured when the US ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, criticised a Johannesburg Equality Court ruling that found the anti‑apartheid chant “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” did not constitute hate speech. On 10 March, Pretoria summoned the ambassador, demanding an apology for what it described as an “undiplomatic” attempt to undermine South Africa’s sovereignty.

In Limpopo, Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa’s independent foreign policy, rejecting external pressure to abandon proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice. “South Africa has stood firm in the face of very powerful and vicious global forces working to undermine the sovereignty of other nations,” he said, adding that his country’s stance is rooted in principle.

He pledged continued support for nations facing US pressure, including Palestine, Cuba and Western Sahara, affirming South Africa’s commitment to self‑determination and Pan‑African solidarity. “We will not be pushed around. Our sovereignty is sacrosanct,” Ramaphosa declared.