The Presidency has issued a strongly worded response to former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, describing his recent call for President Bola Tinubu’s resignation as “childish, misleading and an unwarranted distraction.”
In a statement released on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the State House dismissed Obi’s comments comparing Nigeria’s presidential system to the United Kingdom’s parliamentary arrangement as “simplistic and a distorted interpretation of national realities.”
“Peter Obi’s latest comments calling for President Bola Tinubu’s resignation… are not only misplaced but also reflect a selective and distorted view of Nigeria’s realities since 2023,” the statement read.
The Presidency further argued that Nigeria operates a presidential system with a fixed four-year term, stressing that electoral outcomes in recent off-cycle elections reflected public confidence in the 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 said, adding that the results were “an early referendum of sorts.”
The statement also took aim at Obi personally, urging him to wait for the next general election instead of “haranguing the President on social media.”
“It is laughable that Obi… is now the one calling for President Tinubu’s resignation over security breaches in some parts of the country,” the Presidency said.
On security, the statement defended the administration’s record, insisting that Nigeria had recorded measurable progress under Tinubu despite long-standing challenges.
“Over 15,000 terrorists have been taken off the streets and forests… hundreds of people have been rescued from captivity,” Onanuga stated, while noting increased investment in technology, drones, and homeland security operations.
The Presidency also highlighted economic gains, including foreign reserves reportedly exceeding $50 billion, increased oil production, rising government revenue, and what it described as renewed investor confidence.
According to the statement, “trade surpluses have been recorded consistently,” while Nigeria’s stock market performance was cited as evidence of economic recovery.
On infrastructure, the government maintained that major projects were underway across geopolitical zones, including highways and power reforms, adding that the administration had also expanded access to student loans and alternative energy solutions such as CNG.
Addressing power sector concerns, the Presidency clarified that President Tinubu never promised uninterrupted electricity during his campaign, insisting his remarks were being misquoted.
“He said: ‘Whichever way, by all means necessary, you will have electricity… A promise made will be a promise kept,’” the statement quoted.
The Presidency also pointed to the Electricity Act signed by Tinubu, which allows states to generate and distribute electricity independently, as well as ongoing metering and off-grid power initiatives.
On economic hardship, the statement acknowledged global pressures but attributed inflationary trends partly to international disruptions.
“Any honest politician will agree this is a global problem resulting from tensions in the Middle East,” it added.
The statement concluded by describing Obi’s remarks as politically motivated and “a grandstand aimed at distracting the administration,” while insisting that President Tinubu remains focused on reforms.
“President Tinubu focuses on solutions, not rhetoric… Nigeria is on the path to progress,” Onanuga said.
The Presidency ended by reiterating confidence in the administration’s direction, stating that critics were “living in self-constructed echo chambers” detached from national realities.