The Presidency has continued its criticism of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over his recent call for President Bola Tinubu to resign, with presidential aide Sunday Dare accusing the opposition figure of misunderstanding Nigeria’s constitutional system and engaging in what he described as “cheap political theatre.”
Dare, who serves as Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, made the remarks in a post shared on X on Tuesday, a day after the Presidency issued a lengthy statement dismissing Obi’s call for Tinubu’s resignation.
Newsmaxng had reported earlier that Bayo Onanuga, a presidential aide also slammed Peter Obi on Monday over the same call.
Read: Presidency Blasts Peter Obi Over Call for Tinubu’s Resignation
In the post titled “Call for Resignation: Peter Obi Cuts a Pitiable Figure. Needs Schooling,“ Dare argued that Obi’s comments were not those of a statesman but of a politician who had failed to distinguish between political opposition and constitutional realities.
“His latest call for President Bola Tinubu to resign is not the intervention of a statesman. It is the outburst of a politician who appears increasingly unable to distinguish between political opposition and constitutional reality,” Dare wrote.
The presidential aide maintained that Nigeria operates a presidential system of government where elected leaders serve fixed terms, unlike parliamentary democracies where leaders can be removed through votes of no confidence.
“Nigeria is not a parliamentary system where governments rise and fall on votes of confidence. Nigeria is a constitutional presidential democracy. Presidents are elected for fixed terms and leave office through elections, constitutional processes, incapacity or the expiration of their mandate,” he stated.
Dare questioned Obi’s understanding of the office he seeks, saying the former Anambra State governor’s demand for Tinubu’s resignation reflected a lack of appreciation for constitutional governance.
“It raises a troubling question: if a man seeking the presidency cannot demonstrate respect for the constitutional foundations of the office, why should Nigerians trust him with that office?” he asked.
The presidential spokesman also accused Obi of focusing solely on the country’s challenges while ignoring what he described as achievements recorded by the Tinubu administration.
“Every challenge facing Nigeria becomes, in Obi’s telling, proof of total failure. Every difficulty becomes a national catastrophe. Every setback becomes an excuse for outrage,” Dare said.
According to him, Obi has remained silent on areas where the government claims progress has been made, including economic growth, foreign reserves, infrastructure development and security operations.
“A serious national leader acknowledges both challenges and progress. A serious leader offers alternatives,” he added.
Dare further argued that Obi’s political approach has increasingly been driven by criticism rather than constructive engagement, claiming the former presidential candidate appears “more comfortable leading online outrage than leading serious national conversations.”
“There was a time when many Nigerians viewed him as a credible presidential contender. That perception is fading rapidly,” he wrote.
The comments come amid an ongoing war of words between the Presidency and Obi following the latter’s comparison of President Tinubu’s leadership with that of the British Prime Minister, whose resignation announcement sparked debate among political observers.
While Obi has maintained that leaders should be held accountable for governance outcomes, the Presidency has repeatedly defended Tinubu’s record on the economy, security and infrastructure, insisting that the administration remains focused on delivering its agenda despite criticism from opposition figures.
Dare concluded his remarks by arguing that Obi’s latest comments had raised questions about his readiness for higher office.
“By calling for President Tinubu’s resignation, Peter Obi has done more damage to his own presidential credentials than any political opponent could have done,” he said.