The Presidency has dismissed calls by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi for President Bola Tinubu to resign, describing the demand as politically motivated, undemocratic and a distraction from ongoing efforts to address Nigeria’s challenges.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Obi’s comparison of Nigeria with the United Kingdom, where a prime minister recently stepped down voluntarily, was inappropriate.
“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.
The Presidency argued that recent electoral victories recorded by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State and several senatorial districts had demonstrated continued public confidence in President Tinubu’s administration.
According to the statement, the administration inherited significant security and economic challenges but has since recorded progress in tackling insecurity through intensified military operations, the rescue of kidnapped victims and the elimination of terrorist leaders.
The Presidency also highlighted what it described as improvements in the economy, citing sustained Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, increased oil production, improved foreign reserves, rising government revenue and renewed investor confidence.
On infrastructure, the administration pointed to major projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, as evidence of its commitment to long-term national development.
In the education sector, the statement noted the introduction of interest-free student loans and the absence of prolonged industrial actions in public universities during the current administration.
Addressing concerns over electricity supply, the Presidency maintained that President Tinubu had not promised immediate round-the-clock power nationwide but had taken steps to improve the sector through the implementation of the Electricity Act, expansion of prepaid metering and increased investment in alternative energy.
While acknowledging the rising cost of living, the Presidency attributed some of the economic difficulties to global factors and insisted that ongoing reforms would ultimately improve the welfare of Nigerians.
“The administration remains focused on implementing reforms aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians,” the statement added.
The Presidency concluded that Obi’s call for President Tinubu’s resignation failed to recognise what it described as achievements recorded in security, economic management, infrastructure, education and power sector reforms.
