The Presidency has rejected calls by former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign from office, describing the demand as “childish and hollow” and lacking any serious basis.

In a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency accused Obi of engaging in political grandstanding and attempting to divert attention from recent electoral successes recorded by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Peter Obi’s call for President Tinubu’s resignation is childish and hollow. It is not a call to hold the leader accountable. It is merely a political grandstand and an unworthy distraction just hours after President Tinubu’s party recorded resounding victories in the weekend polls,” Onanuga said.

The response followed Obi’s remarks urging Tinubu to emulate British Prime Minister Keir Starmer by stepping down over the country’s security and economic challenges. Obi had argued that leaders should take responsibility when they fail to meet the expectations of citizens.

However, the Presidency maintained that Obi’s comparison between Nigeria and the United Kingdom was fundamentally flawed, noting that both countries operate different systems of government.

According to Onanuga, Obi ignored the constitutional realities of Nigeria’s presidential democracy by drawing parallels with a parliamentary system where political leaders can be forced out of office through party or legislative pressure.

“His view is also simplistic, as is often the case anytime he opens his mouth. Obi forgets our country does not run a parliamentary system of government like the UK. We run a presidential system, with the president elected to a fixed four-year term,” the presidential aide stated.

The Presidency further argued that recent election outcomes in parts of the country demonstrated continued public support for President Tinubu and the APC, contrary to Obi’s assertions that the administration had lost the confidence of Nigerians.

Onanuga pointed to victories recorded by the ruling party in recent polls, describing them as an indication that the President and his party remain politically relevant and popular among voters.

“The people of Ekiti State and the Senatorial constituents in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo, and Rivers have just delivered a resounding victory for President Tinubu and his party. The election results, some early referendum of sorts, show that President Tinubu and his party are popular with Nigerians,” he said.

He added that the election outcomes should be a greater source of concern for Obi and his political platform as preparations begin for the 2027 general elections.

“This should be more concerning for Peter Obi and his new Special Purpose Vehicle, NDC, as we move towards the January 2027 election. Obi should wait until the presidential election to know what the people think of Tinubu’s government. Moving to use X to harangue the President out of office is off the mark and anti-democratic,” Onanuga added.

The latest exchange highlights the growing political rivalry ahead of the 2027 elections, with opposition figures intensifying criticism of the Tinubu administration while the Presidency continues to defend its record on governance, economic reforms, and security.

As political activities gather momentum, both the government and opposition are expected to continue shaping the national conversation around the administration’s performance and the direction of the country in the years ahead.