The Presidency went after Obi for asking Tinubu to resign

The Presidency has dealt a blow to former Anambra State governor and Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi for calling on President Bola Tinubu to follow the example of British Prime Minister Keir Starmed and resign from office.

The Presidency, Obi said, betrayed a poor understanding of comparative systems of government by asking the President to follow the example of Starmer, who announced his resignation yesterday.

Starmer served notice of his resignation following intense pressure from Labor Party (LP) MPs after his party lost the council elections.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement on Monday that Obi lives in a “self-constructed echo chamber” where he constantly tells lies about the state of the nation.

The NDC candidate who advised President Tinubu to resign, says his government has failed to deliver on key campaign promises.

He was reacting to the British Prime Minister’s decision to resign following public dissatisfaction over economic challenges and unfulfilled election promises.

In a statement on his X account titled: “Acknowledging leadership failures and political responsibility,” Obi said the UK scenario underscores the importance of accountability in public office.

Responding, Onanuga described Obi’s statements as “childish and empty,” adding that they reflected a distorted understanding of Nigeria’s political and economic realities.

He said Obi’s comparison of the Nigerian situation with the voluntary resignation of the British Prime Minister was a fundamental error as the two countries operated different systems of government.

Onanuga added: “His views are also simple, as is often the case whenever he opens his mouth.

“Obi forgets that our country does not run a parliamentary system of government like in England. We run a presidential system, with the President elected for a four-year term.”

Presidential aides said Saturday’s electoral victory recorded by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State and the election of senators in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo and Rivers states reflected the growing public support for President Tinubu and his government.

“This should be even more worrying for Peter Obi and his new Special Purpose Vehicle, the NDC, ahead of the January 2027 elections.

“Obi should wait until the presidential election to find out what the people think of Tinubu’s government. Using X to smear the President out of office is misguided and anti-democratic.”

Defending the government’s handling of security, Onanuga said President Tinubu, who inherited deep-rooted challenges, has recorded measurable success through intensive military operations, application of advanced technology and enhanced intelligence gathering.

He said hundreds of kidnapping victims had been rescued, terrorist kingpins had been neutralized and more than 15,000 terrorists had been removed from the streets and forests across the country.

Onanuga added: “These actions show commitment, not failure. It is ridiculous that Obi, who, as governor, was a colossal failure, unable to save lives and property in his small state, Anambra, as documented by his successor, Willie Obiano, is now the one calling for the resignation of President Tinubu over security breaches in some parts of the country.”

The Special Adviser accused Obi of deliberately ignoring positive economic indicators and international praise for his government’s reforms.

He said: “Obi’s depiction of decline and his judgment that ‘We are in the worst shape’ ignores verifiable data and global praise for President Tinubu’s economic and social policies.”

Onanuga said, since May 2023, the economy has recorded quarterly positive GDP growth, trade surpluses, increased foreign exchange reserves, increased oil production and a significant increase in government revenues.

Recognizing the high cost of living, Onanuga attributed some of the challenges to global economic disruption and geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Middle East, which he said have affected global supply chains and commodity prices.

He stated that President Tinubu is focused on reforms rather than political rhetoric.

Dismissing Obi as a liar, Onanuga said: “With his childish tweets on

“We sympathize with him. The reality he dreams of is largely a figment of his imagination.”