ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The visit of President Bola Tinubu to Benue on Wednesday was greeted with mixed reactions among politicians, civil servants, and business people.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tinubu’s visit followed the recent attack on the Yelwata community, Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, where the invaders killed more than 200 persons.
While some people hailed his presence as timely, others saw it as a political strategy by the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party.
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Kwande LGA, Godwin Chia, stated that the president’s visit was to mourn with the grieving families and the state; regrettably, the APC mobilised its supporters across the state to be in attendance like it was a political rally.
Chia expressed displeasure that pro-government groups were also mobilised to welcome the president with dances and banners.
According to him, even when Gov. Hyacinth Alia declared a public holiday because of Tinubu’s visit, pupils and students of public schools were compelled to come out under the rain to welcome the president.
A Civil Servant, John Bunde, said that though the president’s intention was genuine, the actions of the APC visit looked like a political gathering.
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“Personally, I deeply appreciate the president’s visit to our state. It is a clear demonstration and show of love for his subjects, who have been going through agony for decades.
“For him to postpone his visit to Kaduna State alone speaks volumes, and I appreciate him for that too,” Bunde said.
Wilfred Anongo, a businessman, said that he prayed the president’s visit would yield positive results for the state so that peace would finally be restored to all the areas under siege.
Anongo, therefore, appealed to the president to ensure that his visit translated to urgent action.
Another businessman, Mr Iorpuu Dwem, said that it was good that Tinubu visited the state and expressed hope that it would bring about the desired peace.
