Dr. Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh, the 2023 House of Representatives candidate for Abakaliki/Izzi Federal Constituency and an Oxford-trained entrepreneur, has called on Labour Party leader, Mr. Peter Obi to carefully balance the emotions of disenchanted Nigerian youths with the moral expectations of leadership, following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement posted on his verified social media wall, Dr. Ezeh addressed the backlash trailing Obi’s condolence message to the Buhari family.
He acknowledged that many Nigerian youths especially those aligned with Obi’s political movement viewed the late president as a symbol of hardship, failed leadership, and disregard for the masses.
“Obi must balance youth anger with leadership empathy,” Ezeh wrote, urging Obi to remain sensitive to the deep-seated frustrations of his support base while still upholding the virtues of compassion and statesmanship.
He added, “I pray Mr. Peter Obi understands the sentiments of the youth he leads while expressing his condolences on the passing of the former president, who was often seen as a failure and aloof to the struggles of Nigerians.
"Many angry youths want him to ignore and not condole with the Muhammadu Buhari family, while leadership responsibilities expect him to show empathy.”
According to Ezeh, true leadership lies in navigating the “intersection of both extremes,” where emotional justice meets national responsibility.
As Nigeria looks ahead to the 2027 general elections, Ezeh’s statement reflects the ongoing tension between political idealism and the difficult choices leaders must make especially in a country still grappling with the legacy of past administrations.
