Presidency blasts Obi over call for Tinubu’s resignation

The Nigerian Presidency has strongly dismissed calls by Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, for President Bola Tinubu's resignation. Describing Obi's comments as "childish, hollow and an unworthy distraction," the Presidency cited economic data from Tinubu's three-year term and contrasted it with Obi's record as governor of Anambra State. In a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the Presidency alleged that Obi's remarks were an attempt to undermine the ruling party's victories in the recent Ekiti governorship and senatorial by-elections.

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Peter Obi’s latest comments calling for President Bola Tinubu’s resignation, based on a comparison with the British Prime Minister’s voluntary exit, are not only misplaced but also reflect a selective and distorted view of Nigeria’s realities since 2023.

Onanuga further stated that Obi's comparison of Tinubu's situation to that of the then-resigning British Prime Minister exposed the former Anambra governor's misunderstanding of Nigeria's constitutional framework. The Presidency refuted Obi's assertion that Nigeria is in its "worst possible condition," arguing that this view contradicts verifiable economic data and global assessments of the administration's performance. The statement emphasized that Nigeria operates a presidential system with a fixed four-year term for the president, unlike the UK's parliamentary system.

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His view is also simplistic, as is often the case anytime he opens his mouth. Obi forgets our country does not run a parliamentary system of government like the UK. We run a presidential system, with the president elected to a fixed four-year term.

The Presidency highlighted the recent election results in Ekiti, Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo, and Rivers as evidence of President Tinubu and his party's popularity among Nigerians. It warned Obi that these election outcomes were more significant for his own political future than for Tinubu's, suggesting that the upcoming January 2027 election would be a better indicator of public opinion on Tinubu's government. The Presidency characterized Obi's use of social media to pressure the President out of office as "off the mark and anti-democratic."

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The people of Ekiti State and the senatorial constituents in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo and Rivers have just delivered a resounding victory for President Tinubu and his party. The election results, some early referendum of sorts, show that President Tinubu and his party are popular with Nigerians.

Regarding security, the Presidency detailed a series of operational successes, including the neutralization of over 15,000 terrorists, the rescue of hundreds of hostages through high-profile operations in Borno and the North-West, and the elimination of terrorist kingpins with foreign assistance. The statement affirmed that Tinubu has not only maintained but also expanded investments in security by deploying advanced technologies, drones, and appointing a Special Adviser on Homeland Security for a comprehensive approach. The Presidency also alluded to Obi's record in office, implying it did not match Tinubu's current performance.

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Moving to use X to harangue the President out of office is off the mark and anti-democratic.