The Presidency has fired back at Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), dismissing his demand for President Bola Tinubu’s resignation as “childish, hollow, and anti-democratic.”
Obi had called on Tinubu to step down, drawing a comparison to the British Prime Minister’s recent voluntary exit. But the Presidency, in a blistering statement on Monday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, said the comparison is not only misplaced but also reveals a “selective and distorted view” of Nigeria’s realities.
“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 read.
The Presidency stressed that Nigeria operates a presidential system not a parliamentary one where the president is elected to a fixed four-year term.
“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 4-year term,” Onanuga added.
‘Wait Until 2027’ Presidency Dares Obi
The statement also took a swipe at Obi’s timing, noting that the call came just hours after the All Progressives Congress (APC) recorded “resounding victories” in weekend polls in Ekiti, Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo, and Rivers.
“These election results some early referendum of sorts show that President Tinubu and his party are popular with Nigerians. This should be more concerning for Peter Obi and his new Special Purpose Vehicle, NDC, as we move towards the January 2027 election,” the Presidency said.
It added: “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.”
Presidency Lists Tinubu’s Achievements: Economy, Security, Infrastructure
The Presidency pushed back hard on Obi’s claims that Nigeria is in “the worst possible condition,” citing what it called verifiable progress under Tinubu’s leadership.
On security, the government said:
· Hundreds of hostages have been rescued, including high-profile operations in Borno and the Northwest.
· Over 15,000 terrorists have been neutralized or taken off the streets.
· Advanced technology and drones are now being deployed, with a Special Adviser on Homeland Security appointed.
The Presidency also took a personal jab at Obi, 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 the one calling for President Tinubu’s resignation over security breaches.”
On the economy, the government highlighted:
· Positive GDP growth every quarter since Tinubu took office.
· Trade surpluses and foreign reserves hitting over $50 billion.
· Oil production rising from under 1 million to 1.8 million barrels per day.
· Federation revenue projected to hit N30 trillion this year, up from N7.7 trillion in 2022.
· Stock market All-Share Index surging from 50,000 to over 250,000.
· Naira-to-dollar exchange rate stabilizing.
The Presidency also defended Tinubu’s record on infrastructure, education, and power, noting that the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways are underway, and that over two million tertiary students have received interest-free loans.
On Electricity: ‘Obi Misquoted Tinubu‘
The Presidency clarified that Tinubu never promised 24-hour electricity for all, as Obi had claimed.
“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,'” the statement quoted.
It added that the administration has rolled out millions of prepaid meters and signed the Electricity Act to enable states to generate and distribute power independently.
‘Obi Lives in an Echo Chamber of Lies’
The Presidency concluded with a sharp personal attack on the former Anambra governor, accusing him of living in a self-constructed fantasy.
“With his puerile tweet on X, we are now convinced that Peter Obi lives in his self-constructed echo chambers, where he reels off lie after lie to himself and believes his self-created reality about the situation in Nigeria. We sympathise with him. That reality he fantasises about is mostly a figment of his imagination.”
It emphasized that President Tinubu is focused on solutions, not rhetoric, and that Nigeria under his leadership has become “an exemplar for other nations to copy.”
