Peter Obi Tells Tinubu to Quit or Drop 2027 Re-election Bid Over Rising Insecurity

Mounting insecurity across Nigeria has prompted former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to call on President Bola Tinubu to either resign from office or abandon any plans to seek re-election in 2027.

Obi made the demand in a statement released on Monday after visiting Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde. He expressed concern over the continued captivity of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo State more than 50 days ago, describing the situation as a clear sign of leadership failure.

The former Anambra State governor said he was particularly disturbed to learn that President Tinubu had allegedly not contacted Governor Makinde since the abduction. He argued that previous presidents, including Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, maintained direct communication with state governors during major security emergencies.

Obi said the prolonged delay in rescuing the abducted pupils had left the people of Oyo State feeling abandoned, insisting that the government’s response had fallen short of public expectations.

“The ultimate cost of uncompassionate leadership, as evident in the country today, is turning citizens’ frustration into deep, volatile resentment. It is even more traumatising when the leader presiding over that collapse demonstrates clear incapacity and a lack of compassion.

“The government and people of Oyo State, more than 50 days after the abduction of the schoolchildren without any tangible effort toward their rescue, should rightly feel bitter and abandoned,” Obi said.

Drawing comparisons with the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, Obi noted that Tinubu was among the leading voices who criticised then-President Goodluck Jonathan over the handling of that crisis. He argued that multiple school kidnappings have occurred since Tinubu assumed office, yet there has been little visible presidential engagement with affected communities.

According to Obi, the growing wave of kidnappings and violent attacks across the country reflects a lack of both capacity and compassion by the current administration in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.

He maintained that, in the interest of the country, President Tinubu should either step aside from office or put aside any ambition of seeking a second term in the 2027 general election until the nation’s security situation is brought under control.