Insecurity: Obi demands Tinubu resign or drop re-election bid over Oyo schoolchildren abduction

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has asked President Bola Tinubu to resign or dump his second-term bid over what he described as the administration’s failure to address insecurity and its handling of the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State.

In a statement released on Monday, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, said the government has failed to respond effectively to the worsening security situation in the country.

He said the continued captivity of the Oyo schoolchildren, reportedly for more than 50 days, without meaningful rescue efforts, shows a lack of compassion and capacity in leadership. According to him, residents of the state are feeling “bitter and abandoned.”

Obi said he had previously spoken about the incident publicly and also appealed directly for the release of the children. He added that he contacted Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde twice to show support.

He also said he visited Ibadan on July 3 with political economist Pat Utomi to meet the governor after more than 50 days without the children being rescued. He said they discussed security challenges and shared experiences on managing insecurity.

Obi claimed that during the meeting, he learned that Makinde had not received any call from the President regarding the incident. He compared the situation with past administrations, saying former presidents including Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan often contacted state governors during security crises.

He also referred to the Chibok girls kidnapping and said that Tinubu had previously criticised former President Jonathan for delayed response at the time.

Obi further alleged that there have been more than 13 school kidnapping incidents under the current administration and said the government has not shown enough urgency in addressing them.

He said the situation reflects poor leadership and a lack of compassion, and reiterated his call for Tinubu to resign or step down from seeking re-election, saying it is in the interest of the country.