The Presidency and the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, on Monday engaged in a war of words after the former Anambra State governor called on President Bola Tinubu to resign over what he described as failures in governance, worsening insecurity and deepening economic hardship.
Obi's demand, contained in a post on his X account, drew a swift and strongly worded response from the Presidency, which dismissed the call as "childish," "hollow" and an attempt to distract from recent electoral victories recorded by the ruling party.
In his statement titled "Owning Up to Leadership Failures and Political Responsibility," Obi said he was inspired by the decision of the British Prime Minister to announce plans to step down following public dissatisfaction with his administration's performance.
According to Obi, leaders must accept responsibility when they fail to meet public expectations.
The NDC presidential candidate recalled that before assuming office, Tinubu had repeatedly criticised former President over insecurity and economic difficulties, including demanding Jonathan's resignation following the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok.
Obi argued that many of the key promises made by Tinubu during the 2023 presidential campaign, particularly in the areas of electricity supply, security and economic welfare, have not been fulfilled.
"Electricity supply remains unreliable, insecurity has intensified in many areas, including kidnappings, and economic hardship has deepened rather than eased," Obi said.
He further claimed that conditions across major sectors of the economy and governance had deteriorated, insisting that Nigeria was now in "the worst possible condition."
"I therefore join Nigerians of goodwill in calling for the resignation of the President over monumental failure in governance," Obi stated, adding that such a move would help establish a culture of accountability and responsibility in public office.
The Presidency, however, rejected Obi's position, describing it as a misunderstanding of Nigeria's constitutional system and a politically motivated attack on the administration.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the government argued that comparisons between Nigeria and the United Kingdom were misplaced because Nigeria operates a presidential system with fixed terms of office rather than a parliamentary system.
Onanuga said Obi should await the next presidential election if he wished to test public opinion about Tinubu's performance.
He pointed to recent governorship and legislative election victories recorded by the ruling party in Ekiti, Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo and Rivers states as evidence that Nigerians continue to support the President and his administration.
According to the presidential aide, Tinubu inherited significant security and economic challenges and has since taken bold steps to address them.
The Presidency claimed that security forces had intensified operations across the country, leading to the rescue of hundreds of kidnap victims and the elimination of thousands of terrorists and criminal elements.
Onanuga also highlighted increased investment in security infrastructure, including the deployment of drones and advanced technology, as well as the appointment of a Special Adviser on Homeland Security.
"It is laughable that Obi, who as governor was a colossal failure, unable to secure lives and property in his small state of Anambra, is now the one calling for President Tinubu's resignation over security breaches," the statement said.
On the economy, the Presidency disputed Obi's assessment, arguing that available data showed improvements since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
According to Onanuga, the economy has recorded positive GDP growth, rising foreign reserves, improved oil production and increased government revenue under the current administration.
The Presidency also cited growth in the Nigerian stock market, improved investor confidence and increased foreign investments as indicators of economic progress.
It further defended Tinubu's infrastructure record, highlighting projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, while also pointing to the administration's compressed natural gas initiative and student loan programme as evidence of reforms aimed at improving living conditions.
Addressing Obi's criticism of electricity supply, the Presidency accused the opposition politician of repeatedly misrepresenting campaign statements made by Tinubu.
According to the government, Tinubu never promised immediate nationwide 24-hour electricity but pledged to pursue reforms that would improve power supply and eliminate estimated billing.
The statement noted that the President signed the Electricity Act shortly after assuming office, enabling states to generate and distribute electricity independently, while millions of prepaid meters have been deployed to consumers nationwide.
The Presidency acknowledged that Nigerians continue to face a high cost of living but argued that global developments, including geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, have contributed to inflationary pressures affecting countries around the world.
It maintained that Tinubu remains focused on implementing reforms and delivering long-term solutions rather than engaging in political rhetoric.
"President Tinubu focuses on solutions, not rhetoric—investing in reforms, stabilising the economy, improving security and laying the groundwork for a more prosperous Nigeria," Onanuga said.
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