ABUJA, Nigeria — The Presidency has rejected calls by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for President Bola Tinubu to resign, describing the demand as “childish,” anti-democratic and an attempt to distract from the administration’s achievements.
In a statement issued on Monday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Obi’s comparison of Nigeria with the United Kingdom was misplaced because Nigeria operates a presidential system with fixed electoral terms, unlike the parliamentary model in Britain. He argued that Tinubu’s mandate remains valid and should ultimately be judged by voters during the next presidential election.
Onanuga said the Tinubu administration inherited deep-rooted security and economic challenges but has since recorded progress through intensified military operations, increased security investments, economic reforms and infrastructure projects. He cited improvements in government revenue, foreign reserves, oil production, investment inflows and road construction as evidence that the country is moving in the right direction.
Okay News reports that the Presidency also defended the government’s power sector reforms, student loan programme and efforts to expand access to compressed natural gas (CNG), insisting that the administration remains committed to fulfilling its campaign promises.
The statement was issued in response to comments by Obi, who had earlier urged President Tinubu to resign, citing worsening economic hardship, insecurity and unmet campaign pledges. Obi argued that political leaders should be held accountable for governance failures and referenced the resignation of the British Prime Minister as an example of political responsibility.
However, the Presidency maintained that Nigeria is making measurable progress under Tinubu’s leadership and accused Obi of presenting a distorted picture of the country’s situation. Onanuga said the former Anambra governor was engaging in political grandstanding and living in what he described as a self-created echo chamber detached from current realities.
