The Presidency has rejected calls by presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) Peter Obi, for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign, describing the demand as “childish and hollow” and an attempt to distract from the administration’s achievements….
The Presidency has rejected calls by presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) Peter Obi, for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign, describing the demand as “childish and hollow” and an attempt to distract from the administration’s achievements.
In a statement on Monday, June 22, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, faulted Obi’s comparison of Nigeria’s political system with that of the United Kingdom following the resignation of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
According to Onanuga, Nigeria operates a presidential system in which the president serves a fixed four-year term, unlike the parliamentary system practised in Britain.
“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,” he said.
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The presidential aide argued that recent electoral victories recorded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State and several senatorial elections demonstrated continued public support for Tinubu and his administration.
“The election results, some early referendum of sorts, show that President Tinubu and his party are popular with Nigerians,” Onanuga stated.
He urged Obi to await the 2027 presidential election if he wished to test public opinion on the administration’s performance.
“Obi should wait until the presidential election to know what the people think of Tinubu’s government. Moving to use X to harangue the President out of office is off the mark and anti-democratic.”
Defending the administration’s handling of security challenges, Onanuga said the government inherited deep-rooted insecurity problems but had recorded notable successes through military operations and increased investment in security infrastructure.
He said hundreds of kidnapped victims had been rescued, thousands of terrorists neutralised and security operations intensified across the country.
“These actions demonstrate commitment, not failure,” he said.
The presidential spokesman also criticised Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, claiming he lacked the credentials to question the administration’s security efforts.
“It is laughable that Obi, who, as governor, was a colossal failure, unable to secure lives and property in his small state of Anambra, as documented by his successor, Willie Obiano, is now the one calling for President Tinubu’s resignation over security breaches in some parts of the country.”
On the economy, Onanuga said Obi’s assessment of worsening conditions ignored what he described as measurable improvements under Tinubu’s leadership.
He cited sustained quarterly GDP growth, increased oil production, rising foreign reserves, improved government revenues and stronger investor confidence as evidence of economic progress.
According to him, the administration inherited what he described as a struggling economy and implemented reforms that previous governments had avoided.
“President Tinubu introduced bold, courageous policies that his predecessors had shied away from,” he said.
The statement also highlighted gains in infrastructure, including ongoing work on the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways, as well as reforms in the energy sector and the introduction of compressed natural gas initiatives.
Onanuga further defended Tinubu’s record in the education sector, noting that no major disruptions to the academic calendar by university-based unions had occurred since the administration assumed office.
He said the government’s student loan programme had also provided support for millions of tertiary institution students.
Addressing criticism over electricity supply, the presidential aide accused Obi and his supporters of misrepresenting campaign statements made by Tinubu.
“What he actually said on that occasion in Lagos and which Obi and his followers have consistently misquoted, for the sake of mischief, was: ‘Whichever way, by all means necessary, you will have electricity, and you will not pay for estimated bills anymore. A promise made will be a promise kept. If I don’t keep the promise and I come for a second term, don’t vote for me—unless I give you adequate reasons why I couldn’t deliver.’”
Onanuga said the administration had taken steps to address power sector challenges through the implementation of the Electricity Act, expansion of prepaid metering and investments in off-grid solar energy projects.
While acknowledging the high cost of living, he attributed economic pressures partly to global developments, including tensions in the Middle East and disruptions in international supply chains.
The presidential spokesman maintained that calls for Tinubu’s resignation lacked merit.
“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 said.
He insisted that the President remained focused on reforms aimed at improving security, stabilising the economy and delivering long-term prosperity.
“True leadership means staying the course, learning, adapting, and delivering results. President Tinubu has shown he is up to the task, and Nigeria is on the path to progress,” Onanuga added.
