NIGERIA – Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to either resign or abandon plans to seek a second term, accusing his administration of failing to demonstrate leadership and compassion following the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State.
In a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Obi said it was troubling that more than 50 days after the kidnapping, President Tinubu had allegedly not contacted Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde regarding the incident.
According to Obi, the President’s alleged silence stands in sharp contrast to the conduct of previous Nigerian leaders during major security crises.
Obi’s Visit to Ibadan
Obi said he visited Ibadan on July 3 alongside economist and public policy advocate Pat Utomi to express solidarity with Governor Makinde and the people of Oyo State following the abduction.
During the meeting, Obi said he was surprised to learn that the governor had not received any communication from the President since the incident occurred.
“I recalled how President Olusegun Obasanjo, and later Presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, would personally call us several times whenever we faced major security challenges,” Obi said, referring to his time as governor of Anambra State.
Comparison with Chibok Abduction
The former presidential candidate also drew comparisons with the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, noting that Tinubu, then an opposition leader, had been among those who strongly criticised the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and called for his resignation over what they viewed as an inadequate response to the crisis.
Obi argued that, given what he described as more than 13 school abductions under the current administration, the same standard of accountability should apply today.
“This is outrageous,” Obi said, adding that “it is now an indisputable fact that governance has completely collapsed under this administration.”
Call for Resignation or Forgoing Re-election
He concluded by urging President Tinubu to resign or forgo seeking re-election, describing his appeal as “patriotic, not political.”
As of the time of publication, the Presidency had not publicly responded to Obi’s remarks or his claim that the President had not contacted Governor Makinde regarding the abduction.
President Tinubu’s administration has consistently maintained that it is committed to tackling insecurity and has defended its security policies, stating that efforts are ongoing to improve intelligence gathering, strengthen security operations, and secure the release of kidnapping victims across the country.
