By our Reporter
The Presidency has strongly rejected calls by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign, describing the demand as “childish,” “misplaced” and an attempt to distract from the administration’s achievements.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Obi’s comparison of Nigeria’s political system with that of the United Kingdom was flawed and failed to recognise the constitutional differences between both countries.
According to Onanuga, while the United Kingdom operates a parliamentary system where prime ministers may voluntarily resign, Nigeria runs a presidential system with a fixed four-year electoral mandate.
The presidential aide argued that recent electoral victories recorded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State and several senatorial districts across the country demonstrated continued public support for President Tinubu and his administration.
He maintained that President Tinubu inherited longstanding security and economic challenges but has recorded measurable progress since assuming office in May 2023.
On security, the Presidency said thousands of terrorists and criminal elements have been neutralised through intensified military operations, while hundreds of kidnapped victims have been rescued across various parts of the country. It added that investments in modern security technologies, including drones and intelligence-driven operations, have strengthened the fight against insecurity.
Defending the administration’s economic policies, Onanuga said Nigeria has recorded consistent quarterly Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, improved foreign reserves, increased oil production and higher government revenues under President Tinubu’s leadership.
He also highlighted improvements in foreign investment inflows, stock market performance and fiscal revenues available to state governments, attributing the gains to reforms introduced by the administration.
The statement further cited ongoing infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, as evidence of the government’s commitment to national development.
On education, the Presidency pointed to the implementation of the student loan scheme and the absence of prolonged industrial actions by university-based unions as indicators of progress in the sector.
Responding to criticisms regarding electricity supply, Onanuga stated that President Tinubu had taken significant steps to reform the power sector through the Electricity Act, which empowers states to generate, transmit and distribute electricity independently.
He added that the administration has accelerated the rollout of prepaid meters and expanded off-grid solar power initiatives to reduce reliance on estimated billing and improve access to electricity.
While acknowledging the economic difficulties faced by many Nigerians, the Presidency argued that rising living costs are part of broader global economic challenges linked to international conflicts and disruptions in global supply chains.
The statement accused Obi of ignoring positive developments in the country and relying on what it described as a distorted assessment of the nation’s situation.
“Peter Obi’s call for President Tinubu’s resignation is childish and hollow. It is merely political grandstanding and an unnecessary distraction,” the statement said.
The Presidency maintained that President Tinubu remains focused on implementing reforms, improving security, strengthening the economy and advancing the objectives of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
It added that the government would continue to pursue policies aimed at delivering long-term prosperity and stability for Nigerians despite existing challenges.
