Peter Obi has asked Tinubu to resign or drop 2027 re-election bid over rising insecurity.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for 2027 general election, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to either resign from office or abandon any plans to seek re-election in 2027, citing the Federal Government’s handling of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity and what he described as a lack of compassion for victims.
Obi made the call in a statement shared on his X account on Monday following his visit to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde over the continued captivity of schoolchildren abducted more than 50 days ago.
The former Anambra State governor said the Federal Government’s response to the kidnapping and the broader security crisis reflected a failure of leadership, adding that many Nigerians now feel abandoned by those entrusted with protecting them.
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According to Obi, poor leadership has continued to deepen insecurity across the country, while victims and their families are left without adequate support.
“The ultimate cost of uncompassionate leadership, as evident in the country today, is turning citizens’ frustration into deep, volatile resentment.
“It is even more traumatising when the leader presiding over that collapse demonstrates clear incapacity and a lack of compassion.
“The government and people of Oyo State, more than 50 days after the abduction of the schoolchildren without any tangible effort toward their rescue, should rightly feel bitter and abandoned,” he said.
Obi disclosed that he had repeatedly spoken out on the abduction, appealed to the kidnappers to release the children, and personally contacted Governor Makinde to express solidarity.
He added that on July 3, he travelled to Ibadan alongside political economist Prof. Pat Utomi to identify with the state government and the families of the abducted children.
“Since this unfortunate incident, I have spoken publicly about it twice, including appealing directly to the kidnappers to release the children.
“I also called the Governor twice to assure him of my solidarity, understanding that this issue is not just an Oyo problem but a Nigerian tragedy.
“On Friday, July 3, I decided to travel to Ibadan with Prof. Pat Utomi to express solidarity with the Governor, as more than 50 days had elapsed without the rescue of the children and with numerous others still being held captive across the country,” he stated.
Obi said he shared his experience in tackling insecurity during his tenure as governor of Anambra State and recalled how former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan maintained regular communication with governors whenever serious security challenges arose.
He expressed surprise after learning that President Tinubu had allegedly not contacted Governor Makinde regarding the abduction.
“During our two-hour meeting, I shared my experience in addressing insecurity as Governor of Anambra State. I recalled how President Olusegun Obasanjo, and later Presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan would personally call us several times whenever we faced major security challenges.
“But, to my utmost shock, I discovered that, contrary to my assumption that they had been in regular communication over the matter, Governor Seyi Makinde had not received a single call from President Bola Tinubu,” Obi said.
Drawing comparisons with the 2014 abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls during the Jonathan administration, Obi noted that the incident generated widespread national and international outrage, with Tinubu among those who strongly criticised Jonathan over his response.
“I remember the only case of a school kidnapping during President Goodluck Jonathan’s era – the Chibok girls.
“It drew local and international attention. Even though the security agencies provided almost daily updates on their efforts, Nigerians and the rest of the world were outraged that it took President Jonathan over two weeks to call the then State chief Executive.
“I vividly recall that the current President, Bola Tinubu, led a team of vocal critics who called for President Jonathan’s immediate resignation over the incident, citing his delay in calling the state governor.
“That call for immediate resignation should actually be the case in this matter,” Obi stated.
He argued that Nigeria has witnessed more than 13 school kidnappings under the current administration without what he described as sufficient presidential engagement.
According to him, the continued abduction of schoolchildren and other Nigerians demonstrates a collapse of governance.
“Today, under President Tinubu, there have been more than 13 school kidnappings, yet the President has found it difficult to call the affected state’s chief executive after more than 50 days. This is outrageous.
“I cannot imagine any issue more important than the lives of our kidnapped children, their teachers, and the many other Nigerians being held captive across the country. It is now an indisputable fact that governance has completely collapsed under this administration.”
Obi further accused the Tinubu administration of lacking the capacity and compassion required to effectively tackle Nigeria’s security challenges.
He concluded by urging the President to either resign or refrain from seeking another term in office, insisting that his appeal was driven by patriotism rather than politics.
“The situation reflects a total lack of capacity and compassion, compounded by glaring insensitivity. Amid such an apparent display of incompetence, the President should either resign or, at the very least, abstain from seeking re-election for the sake of our dear country.
“This call is patriotic, not political. A new Nigeria is POssible,” Obi stated.
