Presidency Blasts Peter Obi’s Call for Tinubu’s Resignation, Says Demand Is ‘Childish and Hollow’

• The Presidency has rejected Peter Obi’s call for President Bola Tinubu to resign, describing the demand as “childish and hollow” while insisting that the administration has recorded major gains in security, the economy, infrastructure, and governance.

The Presidency has dismissed calls by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign, describing the demand as “childish, baseless and a needless distraction from national governance.”

In a statement issued on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Obi’s comments were misplaced and reflected a “selective and distorted view” of Nigeria’s realities since Tinubu assumed office in 2023.

Reacting to Obi’s comparison between Nigeria and the United Kingdom following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s planned resignation, Onanuga argued that Nigeria’s presidential system differs significantly from the UK’s parliamentary system.

“Peter Obi’s latest comments calling for President Bola Tinubu’s resignation are not only misplaced but also reflect a selective and distorted view of Nigeria’s realities since 2023,” the statement read.

The Presidency further stated that President Tinubu still enjoys widespread support from Nigerians, citing the recent victories recorded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in elections held in Ekiti and other parts of the country.

According to Onanuga, the election results serve as an early indication of public confidence in Tinubu’s administration and should be a bigger concern for Obi and his newly formed political platform, the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), ahead of the 2027 elections.

On security, the Presidency acknowledged the challenges facing the country but insisted that significant progress has been made under Tinubu’s leadership.

The statement claimed that:

• Thousands of kidnapped victims have been rescued.
• More than 15,000 terrorists and criminal elements have been neutralised.
• Security operations have intensified across the country.
• Investments in drones and advanced security technologies have increased.

The Presidency also defended the administration’s economic reforms, saying Tinubu inherited a struggling economy and had since implemented bold policies that previous administrations avoided.

According to the statement:

• Nigeria’s foreign reserves have risen above $50 billion.
• Oil production has increased to about 1.8 million barrels per day.
• Federation revenue is projected to exceed N30 trillion this year, compared to N7.7 trillion in 2022.
• The stock market has surged, creating wealth for millions of Nigerian investors.

The statement also highlighted infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, as well as reforms in the electricity sector and the student loan scheme.

Responding directly to Obi’s criticism, Onanuga said:

“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 Presidency added that true leadership requires confronting challenges, adapting to realities and implementing long-term solutions rather than engaging in political rhetoric.

It concluded by accusing Obi of living in “self-constructed echo chambers” and creating a false narrative about the country’s condition.

“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 added.