The Nigerian Presidency and Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate and now flagbearer of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for 2027, have traded sharp words after Obi urged President Bola Tinubu to resign in the manner of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Obi made the call on Tuesday, arguing that Tinubu has failed to fulfil key campaign promises and should take political responsibility for the country’s persisting economic hardship, insecurity, and unreliable power supply.
In a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle titled “Owning up to Leadership Failures and Political Responsibility,” Obi drew parallels with Starmer’s announcement of his planned resignation amid public frustration over Britain’s economy and cost-of-living crisis.
He recalled that Tinubu himself had previously demanded the resignation of former President Goodluck Jonathan over similar challenges, including the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made several promises during the 2023 campaign, including improved electricity supply… He also challenged the electorate not to vote for him for a second term if he failed to deliver,” Obi wrote. He added that conditions have since worsened in key areas.
The Presidency swiftly dismissed Obi’s remarks as “childish, hollow and puerile,” describing them as political grandstanding rather than genuine accountability.
In a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency noted that Nigeria operates a presidential system with fixed four-year terms, unlike the UK’s parliamentary model. It highlighted recent electoral victories by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti, Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo, and Rivers as evidence of Tinubu’s growing popularity ahead of the 2027 polls.
The statement further defended the administration’s record, acknowledging inherited security and economic challenges but pointing to measurable progress. It cited the rescue of hostages, neutralisation of terrorist leaders, removal of over 15,000 terrorists from circulation, and consistent positive GDP growth since Tinubu took office.
The Presidency also took a swipe at Obi’s governance record as former Anambra State governor, contrasting it with Tinubu’s reforms.
The exchange comes barely days after APC’s strong showing in off-cycle elections and as political positioning for the 2027 general elections intensifies.
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