POLITICS
Resign Now, Nigeria Needs Fresh Leadership, Peter Obi Tells Tinubu
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step aside ahead of the 2027 general election, describing the President as “tired” and lacking the capacity to address Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges.
Obi made the call during an exclusive interview on Sunday Politics with Seun Okinbaloye on Channels Television, where he assessed the state of the nation and criticised the Federal Government’s handling of key issues affecting Nigerians.
The former Anambra State governor acknowledged President Tinubu’s achievements during his tenure as Lagos State governor but argued that his current performance as President had failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
“The Bola Tinubu that was governor is not the one that is president today. He’s tired. He should be allowed to retire in peace, and then go home,” Obi said.
According to Obi, Nigeria is heading in the wrong direction and requires a leader with renewed energy, commitment and the capacity to tackle the country’s growing challenges.
“As it is right now, Bola Tinubu is leading us nowhere. We will turn it so he can see it. That’s why maybe I’m calling for his retirement. The man should just step aside. Yes, he doesn’t have the capacity to do the job,” he added.
He painted a difficult picture of Nigeria’s economic and social situation, highlighting rising poverty, hunger, insecurity and poor governance as major challenges requiring urgent attention.
He said reports from international organisations had shown the severity of Nigeria’s problems but accused political leaders of focusing more on personalities than on issues affecting ordinary citizens.
“World Bank has just said that 79 per cent of Nigerians are going to face poverty. In a country of 230 million people, that’s over 180 million. That should be the issue we should be discussing,” he said.
The former presidential candidate also raised concerns over the growing number of out-of-school children, healthcare challenges and alleged mismanagement of public resources, saying such issues should dominate national discussions.
“They should be talking about the issue of out-of-school children, talking about the issue of health, and all these monies that are missing here and there that would have been invested properly. Nobody is discussing it,” Obi stated.
On food insecurity, Obi said millions of Nigerians were at risk of hunger and urged political leaders to focus on issues that directly affect citizens ahead of the 2027 election.
“This election in 2027 should be about issues that affect ordinary Nigerians. The World Food Programme has just said 35 million Nigerians are going to face hunger. Nigerians are being kidnapped. Let’s talk about Nigeria,” he said.
‘Tinubu’s Best Is Not Enough’
Reacting to comments by former United States President Donald Trump commending Tinubu’s efforts in tackling insecurity, Obi acknowledged the recognition but insisted that more decisive action was required.
“Thank you to Donald Trump. Thank you to President Trump. But we need to do more, far more than what we are doing,” he said.
Obi argued that despite claims that the Tinubu administration had done its best, the scale of Nigeria’s security challenges required a stronger response.
“I’ve heard people, and Donald Trump is now confirming it, say he has done his best. But with the crisis we are facing, his best is not enough. We need to do more,” he added.
He cited recent abductions in Zamfara State as evidence that insecurity remained a major national crisis.
“On Wednesday, 40 people were abducted in Zamfara, and the entire community, everybody is packing to run away. On Thursday, 50 were abducted. So we’re in a crisis situation that requires another capacity,” Obi said.
Poverty Fuels Insecurity, Says Obi
The former governor argued that insecurity could not be effectively addressed without tackling poverty, unemployment and inadequate access to education.
“You can’t create mass poverty and think you can deal with insecurity. The more you put people out of poverty, the more you reduce criminality. You need to invest in education, massive,” he said.
Obi said that if elected president, he would adopt a more approach to security and personally take responsibility for protecting Nigerians.
“Whatever it takes to secure any Nigerian, I will do that,” he said.
“If your people are dying, you should be ready to die. You’re the president. You’re the number one person.”
‘I’m Desperate to See Nigeria Work’
Speaking on his presidential ambition, Obi said his interest in contesting the 2027 election was driven by his desire to see Nigeria succeed rather than personal ambition.
“I’m not desperate to be Nigerian president. I’m desperate to see Nigeria work,” he said.
He added that he would support any leader capable of delivering good governance and improving the lives of Nigerians.
“If it’s working, I’ll support whatever makes it work.”
Obi expressed sadness over what he described as Nigeria’s continued decline, citing increasing poverty, insecurity and the growing number of children out of school.
“Every year we’re headed south, where more and more people have been impoverished, more and more children are out of school. Things are going in the wrong direction,” he said.
Steve Otaloro, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Engagement to Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, has dismissed rumours that the governor is supporting opposition candidates against the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearers.
Otaloro stated this in a statement made available to journalists on Sunday in Akure.
He denied reports suggesting that Aiyedatiwa had shifted support from the APC candidates in the 2027 general election.
He noted that the clarity was necessary due to alleged reports that the governor had dumped the APC candidate for Ondo South Senatorial District, Dr Isaacs Kekemeke, for an opposition party candidate.
Otaloro described the allegation as untrue, insisting that Aiyedatiwa remained firmly committed to the APC and its candidates.
“There is no truth whatsoever in the insinuation that Governor Aiyedatiwa has abandoned the APC candidate or is supporting the candidate of another political party,” he said.
The governor’s aide said Aiyedatiwa’s political history demonstrated his longstanding commitment to the progressive political family, dating back to the Alliance for Democracy(AD) and the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN), which eventually metamorphosed into the APC.
Otaloro noted that it would be inconsistent with the governor’s political antecedents and his current position as the leader of the APC in Ondo State for him to support an opposition candidate against his party’s candidate.
“It is inconceivable that the governor, who currently leads the APC in Ondo State, would deliberately pitch his tent against the candidate of the same party in favour of a candidate contesting on the platform of another political party,” he said.
Otaloro said the governor had not authorised anyone to speak on his behalf in support of any opposition candidate.
He urged the public to disregard any claim suggesting otherwise.
The SSA described the alleged shift in the governor’s support as “false, mischievous and politically motivated.”
He said such claims were capable of creating unnecessary tension and division within the party.
Otaloro also referred to recent comments by Kekemeke, who reportedly dismissed speculations about a disagreement between him and Aiyedatiwa.
He said the governor’s position as the leader of the party in the state required him to uphold and support the party’s candidates.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa is an APC leader, an APC loyalist and a supporter of the party’s candidates.
“He will not support any candidate against the party he leads in Ondo State,” Otaloro said. (NAN)
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has affirmed Nasiru Sule-Garo as its senatorial candidate for Kano North Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections.
The affirmation followed the party’s decision to substitute Sunusi Danbatta as its substantive candidate for the senatorial election.
Usaini Mai-Riga, the Chairman of the party in Kano State disclosed this at a ceremony held at the party’s senatorial office on Sunday in Bichi.
He said the decision followed extensive consultations and consideration of Sule-Garo’s experience as a former member of the National Assembly.
Mai-Riga, who was represented by the party’s Zonal Vice Chairman, Alhaji Bello Yandadi, said the affirmation marked the conclusion of the party’s internal process for selecting its candidate ahead of the 2027 elections.
In his remarks, Danbatta described his withdrawal as voluntary and pledged his full support and cooperation to the candidate.
He promised to work for the success of NDC candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Accepting the nomination, Sule-Garo pledged to carry all members of the party along and provide effective representation if elected.
He appealed to voters across the district to support his candidacy and the party’s political agenda.
Sule-Garo was a three-time member of the House of Representatives representing Gwarzo/Kabo Federal Constituency.
The State Organising Secretary of the party, Alhaji Sunusi Kwankwaso, said Sule-Garo’s candidacy would strengthen the NDC’s preparations for the 2027 election in Kano North.
Kwankwaso said the party’s campaign would focus on issues affecting constituents, including economic empowerment, agricultural development, education, healthcare, infrastructure and improved representation.
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
It was a dark day for the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State on Friday when the party’s local government chairman, Oyewole Mayowa Solomon, reportedly slumped and died during a reconciliation meeting in Iyara, the council headquarters.
The meeting, convened by a former chairman of Ijumu Local Government Area, Funsho Olumoko was aimed at bringing together party stakeholders and leaders to promote unity and reconciliation within the APC ahead of the coming elections.
According to an eyewitness account, Solomon was actively participating in the meeting held at Iyara Town Hall when he suddenly slumped, throwing participants into confusion and panic.
Efforts were reportedly made to revive him and secure medical attention, but he was said to have died shortly afterwards in a hospital in Kabba, where he was rushed to.
The development sent shock waves through the gathering, with party leaders and other participants said to have been left devastated by the sudden death of the APC chairman.
The meeting came against the backdrop of recent efforts by APC leaders and stakeholders in Ijumu to address disagreements within the party and strengthen unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Our Correspondent gathered that earlier this month, APC stakeholders in the LGA had held a meeting in Iyara at which they endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for second terms.
The stakeholders had also called for greater unity among party members, although the earlier meeting was reportedly marked by disagreements over the leadership of the local government, where the deceased and some other top government functionaries were said to have walked out of the Local government council chairman.
Olumoko, who convened Friday’s meeting, was a former chairman of the Local Government and has previously been tasked by the Ijumu Consultative Forum with helping to unite political stakeholders in the area.
The meeting was expected to bring together selected political leaders, local government and ward executives, women and youth leaders as well as government appointees from Ijumu’s 15 wards, according to the earlier notice announcing the gathering.
The death of Solomon is expected to cast a fresh shadow over ongoing efforts to reconcile the various tendencies within the Ijumu APC, coming barely two weeks after party stakeholders publicly canvassed unity and support for the APC leadership ahead of the 2027 elections.
As of the time of filing this report, the circumstances surrounding Solomon’s sudden death had not been officially disclosed, while attempts to obtain an official statement from the party on the incident are ongoing.
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