Presidency has fired back at Peter Obi and rejected call for Tinubu’s resignation.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Presidency has dismissed calls by Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for President Bola Tinubu to resign over the country’s economic and security challenges, describing the demand as “childish,” “anti-democratic,” and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Monday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Obi’s call for Tinubu to step down reflected a misunderstanding of Nigeria’s presidential system of government.
The Presidency’s reaction comes hours after Obi urged the President to resign, citing worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and declining living conditions across the country.
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Responding, Onanuga argued that comparisons between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced his resignation, were misplaced.
According to him, President Tinubu was democratically elected for a fixed four-year term and cannot be forced out of office through political pressure or social media campaigns.
“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,” the statement said.
The presidential spokesman maintained that recent election results demonstrated continued public support for the President and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He pointed to the APC’s victories in the Ekiti governorship election and several recent senatorial and constituency by-elections in states including Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo, and Rivers.
According to Onanuga, Obi should wait until the next general election if he wishes to challenge the administration’s popularity.
“He should test his popularity at the ballot box rather than seek to harangue the President out of office through social media posts,” the statement added.
The Presidency also rejected allegations that the administration had failed in addressing insecurity.
Onanuga stated that security agencies had recorded significant successes, including the rescue of hundreds of kidnapped victims and the neutralisation or arrest of thousands of suspected terrorists and criminal elements across the country.
He added that the government had strengthened investment in security through the deployment of advanced technology, including surveillance drones, and the appointment of a Special Adviser on Homeland Security.
The presidential aide further criticised Obi’s record as former governor of Anambra State.
“It is laughable that Obi, who, as governor, was a colossal failure, unable to secure lives and property in his small state of Anambra, is now calling for President Tinubu’s resignation over security breaches in some parts of the country,” he said.
On the economy, the Presidency argued that Obi ignored indicators it said showed improvements under Tinubu’s administration.
According to Onanuga, Nigeria has recorded positive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in successive quarters, while foreign reserves have surpassed $50 billion.
The statement also claimed that oil production had risen to approximately 1.8 million barrels per day and that federation revenue was projected to exceed N30 trillion this year.
The Presidency further cited growth in the Nigerian stock market and ongoing infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, as evidence of progress.
On power sector reforms, Onanuga noted that one of Tinubu’s earliest actions in office was signing the Electricity Act, which decentralised electricity generation and distribution and gave states greater roles in the sector.
While acknowledging the rising cost of living, the Presidency attributed part of the challenge to global economic pressures and geopolitical developments affecting economies around the world.
“No one denies that Nigeria has challenges, especially regarding the high cost of living. But any honest politician will agree this is a global problem,” the statement said.
The Presidency insisted that President Tinubu remains focused on implementing reforms and delivering on his campaign promises.
“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,” Onanuga added.
The latest exchange marks another chapter in the growing war of words between the Presidency and opposition figures as political debates over governance, security, and the economy intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
