The Presidency has flayed the call by Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for President Bola Tinubu to resign for not living up to his campaign promises, as childish, anti-democratic, hollow and puerile.
Drawing a parallel with yesterday’s resignation of the British Prime Minister, Kier Starmer, Obi had asked Tinubu to follow suit, having failed like Starmer to deliver on his campaign promises and improve the standard of living of citizens.
Obi, in a tweet he titled, “owning up to Leadership Failures and Political Responsibility,” advised Tinubu to emulate the British PM and save the country from worsening economic situation.
Writing on his X handle, the 2023 Labour Party presidential flagbearer said: “This morning (yesterday), I listened to the British Prime Minister’s speech announcing his planned resignation in July.
‘’As a keen observer of global politics, my primary interest lies in examining what successful nations do right and the structural factors that cause others to lag or struggle with governance and development.
“The Prime Minister’s planned resignation comes amid mounting public frustration over a stagnant economy, a worsening cost-of-living crisis, and a perceived failure to honour key campaign pledges.
‘’During the Chibok school kidnapping incident, he demanded the immediate resignation of President Jonathan, arguing that the government had failed in its most fundamental duty of protecting lives.
“During the 2023 election campaign, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made several promises, including improved electricity supply. He also challenged the electorate not to vote for him for a second term if he failed to deliver on those commitments, particularly in providing stable power, fighting corruption and improving the welfare of Nigerians.
“At present, however, these conditions have worsened. Electricity supply remains unreliable, insecurity has intensified in many areas, including kidnappings, and economic hardship has deepened rather than eased.’’
In a strongly-worded response, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Obi’s call was not one to hold the leader accountable, but a mere political grandstanding and an unworthy distraction just hours after the President’s party recorded resounding victories in last weekend polls.
He also described the NDC presidential candidate’s call as anti-democratic and a distraction from the government’s efforts to address economic and security concerns.
According to him, President Tinubu was elected for a fixed four-year term and could not be pressured out of office through social media campaigns or political rhetoric.
“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 read.
Onanuga argued that recent electoral victories recorded by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State and senatorial elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo and Rivers States showed that the President and his party continued to enjoy public support.
He said Obi should wait until the next presidential election to test the popularity of the Tinubu administration rather than “harangue the President out of office” through posts on social media.
On security, the Presidency rejected claims that the government had failed to tackle insecurity, insisting that significant progress had been recorded under Tinubu’s administration.
It pointed out that hundreds of abducted persons had been rescued through military operations across the country, while thousands of terrorists had been neutralised or arrested.
He added that the administration had expanded investment in the security sector by deploying advanced technologies, including drones, and appointing a Special Adviser on Homeland Security.
“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,” he said.
The Presidency also faulted Obi’s criticism of the economy, saying the former Anambra State governor ignored key economic indicators that showed improvement since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
According to the statement, Nigeria has recorded positive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth every quarter under the current administration, while foreign reserves have risen above $50 billion.
The presidential spokesman further claimed that oil production had increased to about 1.8 million barrels per day, federation revenue was projected to exceed N30 trillion this year, and the stock market had witnessed unprecedented growth.
Onanuga said the government had also made strides in infrastructure development, citing the construction of major highways, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.
He also pointed to reforms in the power sector, insisting that Obi and his supporters had repeatedly misrepresented comments made by Tinubu during the election campaign regarding electricity supply.
According to him, one of Tinubu’s first actions in office was signing the Electricity Act, which decentralised electricity generation and distribution, allowing states to play a bigger role in the sector.
The Presidency acknowledged that Nigerians were grappling with a high cost of living but attributed the situation partly to global economic headwinds and geopolitical tensions.
“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 presidential spokesman maintained that President Tinubu remained focused on implementing reforms and delivering on his mandate.
“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,” he added.
The statement comes amid renewed exchanges between the Presidency and opposition figures over the state of the economy, insecurity and the direction of the country ahead of the 2027 general election.
He said Obi’s comparison of Nigeria with the United Kingdom and his invocation of the British Prime Minister’s voluntary resignation on Monday reflected a misunderstanding of Nigeria’s presidential system of government.
