The presidency on Monday evening knocked Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over his call for President Bola Tinubu to resign following Keir Starmer’s announcement that he would step down as British prime minister.
Starmer had earlier announced that he would step down amid public dissatisfaction over economic challenges and unmet campaign promises.
Obi said he was inspired to reflect on political accountability after listening to Starmer’s resignation speech.
He argued that Nigerian leaders should also be held accountable for governance failures.
But reacting to Obi in a statement, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, described his position as “misplaced” and based on a flawed comparison between the political systems of the United Kingdom (UK) and Nigeria.
“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 reads.
“Obi forgets our country does not run a parliamentary system of government like the UK. We run a presidential system, with the president elected to a fixed four-year term.”
Onanuga said recent election victories recorded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti and some senatorial districts reflected continued public support for Tinubu and his administration.
He noted that Obi should have waited until the 2027 presidential election to test public opinion on Tinubu’s performance rather than calling for his resignation now.
“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,” Onanuga said.
The presidential spokesperson also defended Tinubu’s handling of security challenges, noting that the administration inherited longstanding insecurity issues but had recorded successes through military operations and the rescue of kidnapped victims.
“It is important to note that President Tinubu did not inherit a country in perfect shape. The security challenges we face today are longstanding and deeply rooted,” he said.
“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.”
Onanuga further rejected Obi’s claim that Nigeria was in its worst condition, citing positive quarterly gross domestic product (GDP) growth, rising foreign reserves, increased oil production and improved government revenues since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
According to him, Tinubu inherited a struggling economy and had implemented reforms that previous administrations avoided.
“When he came on board in May 2023, President Tinubu introduced bold, courageous policies that his predecessors had shied away from,” he said.
“Since then, the Nigerian economy has posted positive GDP growth every quarter, surpassing the global average.”
The presidency also faulted Obi’s criticism of the administration’s performance in the power sector, insisting that Tinubu never promised 24-hour electricity for all Nigerians.
“Concerning President Tinubu’s campaign promises on power supply, it is misleading for Peter Obi to parrot the claim that candidate Tinubu guaranteed 24-hour electricity for all,” Onanuga said.
He accused Obi and his supporters of deliberately misrepresenting the president’s remarks during the 2023 campaign in Lagos.
According to Onanuga, what the president said at the time 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 Tinubu’s administration had since signed the Electricity Act, expanded the rollout of prepaid meters and increased investments in off-grid power projects, while efforts are ongoing to address transmission challenges and attract more investment into the sector.
While acknowledging the country’s high cost of living, Onanuga attributed the challenge partly to global economic disruptions and tensions in the Middle East.
He described Obi’s demand for Tinubu’s resignation as politically motivated rather than a genuine call for accountability.
“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.
“President Tinubu focuses on solutions, not rhetoric—investing in reforms, stabilising the economy, improving security, and laying the groundwork for a more prosperous Nigeria.”
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