Presidency Brands Obi’s Resignation Call ‘Childish And Hollow,’ Lists Tinubu’s Gains

The Presidency yesterday launched a blistering attack on Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, describing his call for President Bola Tinubu’s resignation as “childish and hollow” while insisting that the administration has recorded significant achievements in security, economic management and infrastructure development.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Obi’s comparison of Nigeria’s situation with the recent resignation of the British Prime Minister was “misplaced” and failed to take into account the differences between Nigeria’s presidential system and Britain’s parliamentary democracy.

According to Onanuga, “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.”

He added that Obi’s position was “simplistic” and argued that the President remains accountable to Nigerians through the electoral process rather than through social media campaigns.

“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,” he stated.

The Presidency pointed to the recent elections in Ekiti State and senatorial districts in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo and Rivers states as evidence of continued public support for President Tinubu and the ruling party.

On the security situation, the Presidency maintained that the administration inherited longstanding challenges but has recorded measurable progress through intensified military operations and investments in security infrastructure.

“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. Yet under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria has made significant, measurable progress,” the statement said.

The Presidency claimed that thousands of terrorists had been neutralised, while hundreds of kidnapped victims had been rescued through coordinated operations in different parts of the country.

Onanuga also took a swipe at Obi’s record as former governor of Anambra State, saying it was “laughable” that he was calling for the President’s resignation over security challenges.

“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,” he further revealed.

Defending the administration’s economic policies, the Presidency accused Obi of ignoring what it described as positive indicators and international recognition of the government’s reforms.

According to the statement, President Tinubu inherited a weak economy and embarked on difficult reforms that previous administrations had avoided.

“Since then, the Nigerian economy has posted positive GDP growth every quarter, surpassing the global average. Trade surpluses have been recorded consistently, and foreign reserves have hit new highs—over $50 billion,” Onanuga added.

He further claimed that oil production had increased significantly, while government revenues and investor confidence had improved.

The Presidency also highlighted gains in infrastructure, citing ongoing work on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway as examples of projects being executed under the current administration.

On education, the government pointed to the student loan programme and the absence of prolonged industrial actions by university unions as evidence that campaign promises were being fulfilled.

Addressing criticism over electricity supply, Onanuga accused Obi and his supporters of misrepresenting.