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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Presidency on Monday dismissed Peter Obi’s call for President Bola Tinubu to resign as “childish” and an attempt to distract Nigerians from the progress the administration says it has made since 2023.
In a statement signed by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Obi’s comparison of Tinubu’s tenure with the voluntary departure of a British prime minister showed a “selective and distorted view” of Nigeria’s political system and realities.
“Peter Obi’s latest comments calling for President 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 read in part. “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 four-year term.”
Onanuga said recent state and senatorial election results were an “early referendum of sorts” that affirmed Mr. Tinubu’s popularity, adding that Obi should wait until the 2027 presidential poll to test public opinion. “Moving to use X to harangue the President out of office is off the mark and anti-democratic,” the statement said.
The Presidency also defended Tinubu’s record on security, citing what it described as “significant, measurable progress” including the rescue of hundreds from captivity, the neutralisation of terrorist leaders and the arrest of “over 15,000 terrorists.” “President Tinubu has not only sustained but also expanded investments in security by deploying advanced technologies and drones, and by appointing a Special Adviser on Homeland Security to ensure a holistic approach,” the statement added.
On the economy, the Presidency rejected Obi’s assessment that the nation was in “the worst possible condition,” and highlighted a string of macroeconomic indicators it said showed recovery and growth under Tinubu’s administration.
“Since then, the Nigerian economy has posted positive GDP growth every quarter, surpassing the global average. Trade surpluses have been recorded consistently, and foreign reserves have hit new highs—over $50 billion,” the statement claimed. It further cited increases in oil production, projected federation revenue in excess of N30 trillion, robust stock market performance and rising foreign direct and portfolio investment.
The statement also touted infrastructure achievements—naming ongoing schemes such as the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways—and social interventions, including plans to provide close to two million tertiary students interest-free loans and a nationwide rollout of prepaid electricity meters.
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“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 the one calling for President Tinubu’s resignation over security breaches in some parts of the country,” Onanuga added, referencing criticisms of Obi’s record as a state governor.
On power policy, the Presidency said Mr. Tinubu’s administration acted immediately by signing the Electricity Act to enable states to generate, transmit and distribute power independently and by rolling out millions of prepaid meters. It acknowledged transmission and pricing as remaining challenges but described steps being taken to attract investment into the sector.
Acknowledging Nigeria’s socioeconomic pressures, the statement attributed much of the high cost of living to global shocks related to tensions in the Middle East and said the administration was focused on solutions rather than “rhetoric.”
“Leadership is about determination to confront the challenges facing our country and the economy. President Tinubu focuses on solutions, not rhetoric—investing in reforms, stabilising the economy, improving security, and laying the groundwork for a more prosperous Nigeria,” the statement said.
The Presidency concluded by dismissing Obi’s tweet as evidence that he “lives in his self-constructed echo chambers” and called the resignation demand a political “grandstand” meant to distract from the ruling party’s recent electoral victories.
