The Presidency has described Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi’s call for President Bola Tinubu’s resignation as “childish, hollow and an unwarranted distraction.”
In a statement issued on Monday, June 22, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the Presidency said Obi’s comparison of Nigeria’s presidential system with the UK parliamentary system was “misplaced and reflected a selective and distorted view of Nigeria’s realities since 2023.”
Onanuga said Obi’s view was simplistic, noting that Nigeria runs a presidential system with the President elected to a fixed 4-year term. He cited recent elections in Ekiti State and senatorial districts in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo and Rivers, saying the results showed President Tinubu and his party remain popular with Nigerians.
“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,” the statement read.
Security
The Presidency said President Tinubu did not inherit a country in perfect shape, but had made measurable progress on security. It noted that hundreds of people had been rescued from captivity in Borno and the North West, while over 15,000 terrorists had been neutralised and taken off the streets and forests.
It added that security operations had intensified nationwide through advanced technologies, drones, and the appointment of a Special Adviser on Homeland Security.
Onanuga also faulted Obi’s record in Anambra, saying: “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 calling for President Tinubu’s resignation over security breaches in parts of the country.”
Economy
The statement said Obi’s claim that “we are in the worst possible condition” ignored verifiable data. It said President Tinubu inherited what another of Obi’s successors described as ‘a dead horse economy’ and introduced bold policies in May 2023.
Since then, it said, Nigeria had recorded positive GDP growth every quarter, surpassing the global average. Foreign reserves had hit over $50 billion, oil production rose from less than 1 million barrels per day to about 1.8 million, and federation revenue was projected to exceed N30 trillion in 2026, compared to N7.7 trillion in 2022. By May 2026, N15.7 trillion had already been collected.
It added that the All-Share Index rose from 50,000 to over 250,000, creating wealth for about 6 million investors, while the Naira-to-dollar exchange rate had stabilised and foreign investments were at record highs.
Infrastructure & Education
The Presidency said Tinubu had set records in infrastructure delivery with concrete roads across all geopolitical zones and the actualisation of the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways.
It also cited the replacement of petrol and diesel with CNG and interest-free loans for close to 2 million tertiary students. It noted that there had been no disruption of the academic calendar by ASUU or NASU in three years, which it described as a kept campaign promise.
Power
On power, Onanuga said it was misleading for Obi to claim Tinubu promised 24-hour electricity for all. He quoted the President’s 2023 Lagos statement: “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.”
The Presidency said Tinubu’s first policy was signing the Electricity Act to enable states to generate, transmit and distribute power independently. It added that millions of prepaid meters had been rolled out with plans for 7 million more, while power generation was increasing and off-grid solar power was being provided to schools, hospitals and markets.
Cost of Living
On inflation, the statement acknowledged challenges with cost of living but said it was a global problem caused by tensions in the Middle East, including the recent disruption to the Strait of Hormuz after attacks involving the U.S., Israel and Iran.
The Presidency said Obi’s call for resignation was “political grandstanding and an unworthy distraction” hours after APC recorded victories in weekend polls. It concluded that President Tinubu was focused on reforms, security and economic stability, and that Nigeria was “on the path to progress.”
Presidency Faults Obi’s Call For Tinubu’s Resignation
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