The media office of NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has defended his recent call for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider resigning, arguing that the Presidency failed to address the substance of concerns raised about governance, accountability, and the worsening economic conditions facing Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesman, Idris Zekeri Jnr., the Peter Obi Media Office said the Presidency’s response focused on peripheral issues rather than engaging with what it described as the core challenge of leadership responsibility amid rising poverty, insecurity, and economic hardship.
The statement maintained that Obi’s remarks were inspired by recent developments in the United Kingdom, where the Prime Minister accepted responsibility for perceived shortcomings in governance and stepped down. According to the media office, the call was not based on Nigeria’s constitutional arrangement but on the broader principle that leaders should be accountable for the outcomes of their administration.
The organisation argued that resignation is not exclusive to parliamentary systems, citing examples of leaders in presidential democracies who stepped down under various circumstances, including former U.S. President Richard Nixon, former Brazilian President Fernando Collor de Mello, former Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, and former Argentine President Fernando de la Rúa.
The statement also recalled that Tinubu, as an opposition figure, had previously urged former President Goodluck Jonathan to resign during the 2012 fuel subsidy protests and following the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls, despite Nigeria operating the same presidential system.
According to the media office, Nigeria has witnessed a significant rise in poverty over the past three years, while public debt has increased without corresponding improvements in the welfare of citizens. It argued that despite government claims of economic growth, increased revenues, and stock market gains, many Nigerians continue to struggle with high living costs, unemployment, and declining purchasing power.
The statement further criticised the administration’s handling of insecurity, asserting that kidnappings, banditry, and violent attacks have spread across more parts of the country. It claimed that many farmers, businesses, and communities continue to face security challenges despite reported successes by security agencies.
Defending Obi’s record as governor of Anambra State, the media office said his administration achieved substantial progress in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and fiscal management, adding that such achievements remain verifiable through official records.
The group also dismissed suggestions that recent election outcomes should be interpreted as a referendum on the Federal Government’s performance. It expressed concern about the credibility of the electoral process and warned that public confidence in democracy could be eroded if perceived shortcomings are not addressed.
It further questioned what it described as misplaced national priorities, noting the disparity between budgetary allocations to primary healthcare and election-related expenditures.
The media office insisted that Obi’s comments were motivated by concern for Nigeria’s future rather than political considerations. It urged the Federal Government to focus on addressing pressing national challenges, including insecurity, poverty, unemployment, power shortages, and declining productivity.
“Nigeria deserves leadership that listens more than it lectures, serves more than it celebrates itself, and accepts responsibility rather than constantly searching for excuses,” the statement concluded.
The Presidency has previously defended the Tinubu administration’s policies, citing economic reforms, revenue growth, infrastructure development, and ongoing security operations as evidence that the government is addressing the nation’s challenges.
