Peter Obi’s call for President Tinubu’s resignation is childish and hollow – Presidency

The Presidency has responded to Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi’s call for President Bola Tinubu to resign, describing the demand as “childish” and “an unwarranted distraction.”

In a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency rejected Obi’s comparison of Nigeria’s situation with recent political developments in the United Kingdom, arguing that the two countries operate different systems of government.

According to the statement, “Obi’s call for President Tinubu’s resignation [is] childish and an unwarranted distraction.” The Presidency further stated that Obi’s analysis “is not only misplaced but also reflect a selective and distorted view of Nigeria’s realities since 2023.”

Defending the president’s mandate, the statement noted that Nigeria operates a presidential system with fixed terms of office. “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 4-year term,” it said. The Presidency also pointed to recent election victories by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in parts of the country as evidence of continued public support for Tinubu’s administration.

“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 statement said, adding that the results showed that “President Tinubu and his party are popular with Nigerians.”

On security, the government said progress had been made despite longstanding challenges across the country. “Hundreds of people have been rescued from captivity. Our gallant troops have neutralised terrorist kingpins. Over 15,000 terrorists have been taken off the streets and forests,” the statement said. It added that the administration had “expanded investments in security by deploying advanced technologies and drones.”

The Presidency also took aim at Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, stating that “it is laughable that Obi, who was a colossal failure, unable to secure lives and property in his small state of Anambra,” would criticise the current administration.

On the economy, the statement argued that key indicators showed improvement under Tinubu’s government. “Since then, the Nigerian economy has posted positive GDP growth every quarter. Foreign reserves have hit new highs, over $50 billion,” it said.

The Presidency further claimed that “oil production has risen from less than one million barrels per day to about 1.8 million,” while “Federation revenue is projected to hit over N30 trillion this year.” It also highlighted gains in the capital market, saying the stock market had risen “from 50,000 to over 250,000.”

The statement pointed to ongoing infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways, and said the government was “building concrete roads that will last 100 years or more across all the country’s geopolitical zones.”

On education, it said “close to two million Nigerian tertiary students” had benefited from the student loan programme, while also highlighting reforms in the electricity sector. Responding to Obi’s criticism of Tinubu’s electricity promises, the Presidency argued that the Labour Party leader had misrepresented the president’s remarks.

It quoted Tinubu as saying: “Whichever way, by all means necessary, you will have electricity, and you will not pay for estimated bills anymore. If I don’t keep the promise and I come for a second term, don’t vote for me; unless I give you adequate reasons why I couldn’t deliver.”

The statement said reforms, including the Electricity Act and the rollout of prepaid meters, were already underway. Addressing the broader issue of economic hardship, the Presidency argued that inflationary pressures were not unique to Nigeria. “Any honest politician will agree this is a global problem resulting from the tensions in the Middle East,” it said.

The Presidency concluded by insisting that Obi’s demand for Tinubu’s resignation lacked merit. “Peter Obi’s call for President Tinubu’s resignation is childish and hollow. It is not a call to hold the leader accountable. It is merely a political grandstand and an unworthy distraction,” the statement said.

In its closing remarks, the Presidency added: “With his puerile tweet on X, we are now convinced that Peter Obi lives in his self-constructed echo chambers. That reality he fantasises about is mostly a figment of his imagination.”