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Daud Olatunji
Democratic Congress of Nigeria presidential candidate Peter Obi has said he will continue to examine and challenge the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration but will not resort to personal attacks or insults against the president.
Obi stated this while speaking at the 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference organized by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Enugu.
The conference, held under the theme “Voting, the media and the task of keeping democracy alive”, brought together editors and other stakeholders to examine Nigeria’s democratic process, the media and the challenges ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former Anambra State governor said political disagreements should focus on policies, decisions and performance of public office holders rather than resulting in personal insults and abuse.
Obi said: **”I cannot abuse any governor. I cannot abuse anyone in government. I have never abused anyone. Who saw me calling President Tinubu’s name? Never!
“I won’t do it. He’s the president of the country, he has all my respect.”**
However, he argued that respect for the president and other public officials should not stop Nigerians, journalists and opposition politicians from asking tough questions about government policies and decisions.
According to him, citizens should evaluate leaders based on their records, qualifications, conduct and the consequences of their policies.
Obi also highlighted the importance of leadership character in shaping society, arguing that those in public office should demonstrate integrity and responsibility because their conduct could influence the values of society as a whole.
The NDC candidate took the opportunity to call for greater accountability in public office, particularly amid ongoing debates over public spending, state debts and governance practices.
His comments came as the Editors’ Conference placed the media’s policing role at the center of discussions on Nigeria’s democratic future.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who addressed the conference with a message of goodwill, similarly urged the media to closely monitor the government while reporting the country’s economic progress. He said the government and the media would not always agree, arguing that democracy is strengthened by informed and responsible disagreement.
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, also challenged editors to go beyond official claims and establish facts independently, while stressing the need for investigative journalism and responsible reporting.
The conference comes closer to the 2027 general elections, with the Nigerian Editors’ Guild warning of the impact of AI-generated misinformation and falsehoods on voters and the electoral process.
The subtheme of the conference was “When lies seem real: Identifying and debunking AI-powered misinformation before, during and after elections.”
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