The Presidency on Monday strongly rejected a call by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for President Bola Tinubu to resign from office, describing the demand as “childish, hollow and an unworthy distraction.”
In a lengthy statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency accused Obi of presenting a distorted picture of the country and ignoring what it described as major achievements recorded by the Tinubu administration in the areas of security, the economy, education and power sector reforms.
The sharp exchange marks the latest chapter in the growing political rivalry between the two politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi had earlier suggested that Tinubu should consider stepping down, drawing comparisons with political developments in the United Kingdom, where British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to resign.
Reacting to Obi’s comments, the Presidency said the comparison showed a misunderstanding of Nigeria’s political system.
According to Onanuga, Britain operates a parliamentary system where prime ministers can leave office through party processes or parliamentary changes, while Nigeria runs a presidential system in which a president is elected for a fixed term through a nationwide election.
“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 said.
“His view is also simplistic, as is often the case anytime he opens his mouth. 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.”
The Presidency also linked Obi’s comments to the outcome of recent elections, arguing that the results showed continued support for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the statement, the APC’s victories in the Ekiti State governorship election and senatorial by-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo and Rivers states reflected public confidence in President Tinubu and his administration.
“The people of Ekiti State and the senatorial constituents in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo and Rivers have just delivered a resounding victory for President Tinubu and his party,” Onanuga stated.
“The election results, some early referendum of sorts, show that President Tinubu and his party are popular with Nigerians.”
The Presidency argued that the election outcomes should be more worrying for Obi and his new political platform, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), as preparations for the 2027 presidential election gather momentum.
“This should be more concerning for Peter Obi and his new Special Purpose Vehicle, NDC, as we move towards the January 2027 election,” the statement said.
“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.”
On security, the Presidency accused Obi of overlooking progress made by security agencies under Tinubu’s leadership.
It claimed that more than 15,000 terrorists had been eliminated in operations across different parts of the country, while hundreds of kidnap victims and hostages had been rescued through military actions in Borno State and parts of the North-West.
The statement also highlighted the government’s investment in modern security equipment, including drones and surveillance technologies, as well as the appointment of a Special Adviser on Homeland Security.
According to the Presidency, these measures have strengthened the fight against terrorism, banditry and other forms of criminal activity.
In a direct attack on Obi’s performance as governor of Anambra State between 2006 and 2014, the Presidency questioned his credentials to criticise the Federal Government on security matters.
“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 in some parts of the country,” the statement said.
The Presidency also defended the administration’s economic record, insisting that available data does not support claims that the country is in decline.
According to Onanuga, Nigeria has recorded positive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in every quarter since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
He said foreign reserves have increased to more than $50 billion, while trade surpluses have been recorded consistently.
The statement further claimed that crude oil production had risen from less than one million barrels per day to about 1.8 million barrels per day, helping to improve government revenue.
“Federation revenue is projected to hit over N30 trillion this year, far above the 2022 level of N7.7 trillion,” the Presidency said.
“By May this year, N15.7 trillion has already been collected, more than twice the entire revenue collected in 2022.”
The government also pointed to developments in the capital market, noting that the Nigerian stock market had experienced significant growth under Tinubu’s administration.
According to the statement, the All-Share Index has risen from about 50,000 points to more than 250,000 points, creating wealth for millions of investors.
The Presidency further claimed that increased foreign direct investment and portfolio investment reflected growing confidence in the Nigerian economy.
On education, the administration highlighted what it described as one of its major but less-publicised achievements—the absence of strikes by university-based unions such as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).
The government argued that maintaining uninterrupted academic calendars was one of Tinubu’s campaign promises and represented a significant improvement compared to previous years when prolonged strikes regularly disrupted higher education.
“Are conditions worsening in our country when, in three years of Tinubu’s leadership, we have recorded no disruption of the academic calendar by trade unions such as ASUU or NASU?” the statement asked.
The Presidency also accused Obi and his supporters of deliberately misrepresenting Tinubu’s campaign statements on electricity supply.
According to the government, Tinubu never promised Nigerians 24-hour electricity nationwide immediately after assuming office.
Instead, it said the President pledged to improve electricity supply and end the widespread use of estimated billing through reforms in the power sector.
The administration pointed to the signing of the Electricity Act shortly after Tinubu assumed office, saying the law gave states greater authority over electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
It also noted that millions of prepaid meters had been deployed, with plans to distribute seven million more, while solar power projects were being expanded across schools, hospitals and markets.
Despite its defence of government policies, the Presidency acknowledged that many Nigerians are facing economic difficulties.
However, it attributed part of the hardship to global developments, including tensions in the Middle East and disruptions to international supply chains.
Obi, in a post on X, said his comments were inspired by political developments in the United Kingdom and his interest in studying governance models around the world.
The former Anambra governor, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the Labour Party platform, said leaders should learn from countries that have achieved progress through accountability and effective governance.
Obi finished third in the 2023 election behind Tinubu of the APC and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In May 2026, he moved to the Nigeria Democratic Congress and emerged as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.