The presidency has criticised Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over his call for President Bola Tinubu to resign following Keir Starmer’s decision to step down as British prime minister.
Starmer announced on Monday that he would resign amid growing public dissatisfaction over economic difficulties and unfulfilled campaign promises.
Obi said Starmer’s resignation speech prompted him to reflect on political accountability, arguing that Nigerian leaders should also be held responsible for governance failures.
Reacting in a statement, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, described Obi’s position as “misplaced” and based on what he called a flawed comparison between the political systems of the United Kingdom 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 victories recorded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti and some senatorial districts reflect continued public support for Tinubu’s administration.
He added that Obi should wait until the 2027 presidential election to test public opinion instead of calling for Tinubu’s resignation.
“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 insecurity, saying the administration inherited longstanding security challenges but has recorded progress through military operations and rescue efforts.
“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 also rejected Obi’s claim that Nigeria is currently at its worst, pointing to positive GDP growth, stronger foreign reserves, increased oil production and improved government revenue since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
According to him, Tinubu inherited a struggling economy and introduced reforms previous administrations had 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 dismissed Obi’s criticism of the administration’s performance in the power sector, insisting 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 misrepresenting the president’s campaign remarks during the 2023 election.
Onanuga noted that Tinubu’s administration has signed the Electricity Act, expanded prepaid meter deployment and increased investments in off-grid power projects, while efforts continue to address transmission challenges.
While acknowledging the high cost of living, he attributed the situation 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.”