Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to either resign or refrain from seeking re-election, citing what he described as a complete lack of capacity and compassion in handling the country’s worsening security challenges.
The statement comes more than 50 days after the abduction of dozens of schoolchildren and their teachers in Oyo State.
Obi Condemns Lack of Presidential Response to Oyo Crisis
In a strongly worded post on X, Obi expressed shock that President Tinubu has not called Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde even once since the kidnapping incident. He said he had personally called the governor twice to offer solidarity and had also appealed publicly to the kidnappers.
Obi noted that during his time as governor, Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and Goodluck Jonathan would personally call state chief executives during major security challenges. He contrasted this with the current administration’s apparent inaction.
“To my utmost shock, I discovered that, contrary to my assumption that they had been in regular communication over the matter, Governor Seyi Makinde had not received a single call from President Bola Tinubu,” Obi stated.
Contrast with Past Presidents and Tinubu’s Past Stance
Obi recalled that during the 2014 Chibok girls kidnapping under President Jonathan, Tinubu had been among those who demanded the president’s immediate resignation after a two-week delay in calling the Borno State governor.
He noted that under the current administration, there have been more than 13 school kidnappings, yet the President has not reached out to affected state governors even after seven weeks in the Oyo case.
“This is outrageous,” Obi said, adding that the same pattern may apply to other incidents across the country.
Broader Insecurity Concerns Raised
Obi described the situation as evidence of a total collapse of governance under the present administration. He said the ultimate cost of uncompassionate leadership is turning citizens’ frustration into deep, volatile resentment.
He emphasised that no issue should be more important than the lives of kidnapped children, their teachers, and other Nigerians held captive across the country.
Call for Resignation or Abstention from Re-election
Obi stated that amid what he called an apparent display of incompetence, President Tinubu should either resign or, at the very least, abstain from seeking re-election for the sake of the country.
He clarified that the call was patriotic, not political, and reiterated his belief that “A new Nigeria is POssible.”
The statement has generated significant reactions online, with many supporters praising Obi’s intervention while others criticised it as politically motivated.
