The Presidency has rejected calls by the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, for President Bola Tinubu to resign over the country’s economic and security challenges, describing the demand as childish and hollow.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the remarks in a statement on Monday, insisting that Obi’s comments amounted to political grandstanding rather than a genuine effort to hold the government accountable.
According to Onanuga, the opposition leader’s call came barely hours after the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) secured what he described as “resounding victories” in recent elections, adding that Obi’s remarks were aimed at diverting attention from those outcomes.
The presidential spokesman accused the former Anambra State governor of drawing a misleading comparison between Nigeria’s presidential system and the parliamentary democracy practised in the United Kingdom.
Obi had urged President Tinubu to emulate British Prime Minister Keir Starmer by stepping aside over the worsening insecurity and economic difficulties confronting Nigerians.
Responding, Onanuga argued that Obi ignored the constitutional structure of Nigeria.
“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.
He added that unlike the UK parliamentary system, Nigeria operates a presidential system in which the president is elected for a fixed four-year tenure.
His view is simplistic, as is often the case whenever he speaks. Nigeria does not run a parliamentary system like the United Kingdom. We run a presidential system, with the president elected to a fixed four-year term, Onanuga stated.
The presidential aide maintained that recent election results in several states indicate that Nigerians still support President Tinubu and the APC.
According to him, voters in Ekiti State and senatorial districts in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo and Rivers States delivered victories that amounted to an early endorsement of the administration.
He argued that the results should concern Obi and his newly formed political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The people have just delivered resounding victories for President Tinubu and the APC. These results are like an early referendum and demonstrate that Nigerians still support the President, he said.
Onanuga advised Obi to wait until the next presidential election to test the popularity of the administration rather than using social media to pressure the President to leave office.
Defending the government’s security record, Onanuga said the administration had made substantial progress in the fight against terrorism and criminality across the country.
He noted that military operations had led to the rescue of hundreds of kidnapped victims, while thousands of terrorists and criminal elements had either been neutralised or dislodged from their strongholds.
The Presidency also disputed Obi’s claim that Nigeria is experiencing its worst period, insisting that the Tinubu administration inherited severe economic challenges but has implemented reforms that are beginning to yield results.
According to Onanuga, the reforms have led to sustained Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, increased foreign reserves, improved oil production, stronger government revenue and rising investor confidence.
He also pointed to achievements in infrastructure, education and electricity reforms, citing the student loan scheme, major road projects and the implementation of the Electricity Act as evidence of progress.
The presidential spokesman further accused Obi of misrepresenting President Tinubu’s campaign promises on electricity while ignoring measures aimed at boosting power generation and distribution.
While admitting that Nigerians are facing rising living costs, Onanuga said inflationary pressures have been worsened by global developments, including tensions in the Middle East and disruptions in international supply chains.
He stressed that President Tinubu remains committed to governance and reform rather than engaging in political rhetoric.
“Leadership is about determination to confront challenges. President Tinubu focuses on solutions, not rhetoric. He is investing in reforms, stabilising the economy, improving security and laying the foundation for a more prosperous Nigeria,” he stated.
Onanuga also launched a fresh attack on the former Labour Party presidential candidate, saying Obi was trapped in self-constructed echo chambers and disconnected from realities on the ground.
With his puerile tweet on X, we are convinced that Peter Obi lives in his self-constructed echo chambers, where he reels off lie after lie and believes his own version of reality about Nigeria, he said.
We sympathise with him. The reality he fantasises about exists mostly in his imagination.
The exchange between the Presidency and Peter Obi comes amid growing political tension and renewed alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with both camps intensifying efforts to shape public perception over the performance of the Tinubu administration.
