Presidency knocks Peter Obi’s resignation call on Tinubu, calls it ‘childish distraction’
The presidency has dismissed comments by Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), calling for the resignation of President Bola Tinubu, describing them as “childish,” “misleading,” and an “unwarranted distraction.”
In a statement, the presidency said Obi’s comparison of Nigeria’s presidential system with the United Kingdom’s parliamentary arrangement was “misplaced,” insisting that such arguments reflect a “selective and distorted understanding” of the country’s political structure and current realities.
Obi had argued that President Tinubu should consider stepping down, citing precedents in other democracies such as the voluntary exit of a British prime minister.
But the presidency countered that Nigeria operates a fixed-term presidential system, where the mandate is determined by elections and not parliamentary confidence votes.
It also pointed to recent off-cycle governorship elections in states such as Ekiti, Ondo, and others, which it said reflected continued public support for the ruling party, arguing that such outcomes should “concern Obi and his political platform” ahead of the 2027 general election.
On security, the presidency rejected claims that the country had deteriorated under Tinubu, insisting instead that there had been “measurable progress” in counterterrorism operations since May 2023.
It said hundreds of abducted persons had been rescued across different regions, while security forces had intensified operations against terrorist groups.
According to the statement, over 15,000 suspected terrorists had been neutralised or taken off the streets, while new investments in surveillance technology, drones, and the appointment of a special adviser on homeland security were part of efforts to strengthen national security architecture.
The presidency also pushed back on Obi’s criticisms of the economy, arguing that recent macroeconomic indicators point to recovery and growth. It cited consecutive quarters of GDP growth, rising external reserves above $50 billion, increased oil production of about 1.8 million barrels per day, and improved federation revenues projected to exceed N30 trillion.
It added that federal collections had already significantly outpaced 2022 levels, while states were now receiving higher allocations for development projects in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and housing.
On the capital market, the statement highlighted a surge in the all-share index from about 50,000 points to over 250,000 points, saying this reflected renewed investor confidence and wealth creation for millions of Nigerians.
It also claimed improved stability in the foreign exchange market and increased foreign investment inflows, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
The presidency concluded that calls for resignation were “anti-democratic,” insisting that the appropriate avenue for assessing the administration remained the ballot box in future elections, not “social media commentary or political rhetoric.”
