Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to step aside ahead of the 2027 general election, saying the President is “tired” and no longer has the capacity to address Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges.
Obi made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he argued that while Tinubu’s tenure as governor of Lagos State was commendable, his performance as President had fallen short of Nigerians’ expectations.
“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.
The former Anambra State governor maintained that Nigeria was on the wrong path and required a leader with the energy, vision and commitment to reverse its fortunes.
“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.
Obi painted a bleak picture of Nigeria’s current economic and social conditions, expressing concern over rising poverty, hunger, insecurity and what he described as poor governance.
He said recent reports by international organisations highlighted the scale of the country’s challenges but lamented that public discourse remained focused on politics rather than issues affecting ordinary Nigerians.
“The 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.
He also called for greater attention to education, healthcare and accountability in public spending.
“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 said.
Speaking on food insecurity, Obi argued that the 2027 election should focus on policies that improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians rather than political rhetoric.
“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.
‘His Best Is Not Enough’
Reacting to comments by former United States President Donald Trump commending Tinubu’s efforts to combat insecurity, Obi acknowledged the praise but insisted that the government’s response remained inadequate.
“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.
“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.”
Obi cited recent mass abductions in Zamfara State as evidence that insecurity remains a national emergency.
“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,” he said.
‘Poverty Fuels Insecurity’
Obi argued that lasting security could only be achieved by addressing the root causes of crime through poverty reduction and increased investment in education.
“You can’t create mass poverty and think you can deal with insecurity,” he said.
“The more you put people out of poverty, the more you reduce criminality. You need to invest massively in education.”
He pledged that, if elected President, he would take personal responsibility for protecting Nigerians.
“Whatever it takes to secure any Nigerian, I will do that,” Obi 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 2027 presidential ambition, Obi said his motivation was not the pursuit of political office but a desire to see Nigeria succeed.
“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.
“If it’s working, I’ll support whatever makes it work.”
Reflecting on Nigeria’s current trajectory, Obi lamented what he described as the country’s steady decline.
“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.
Obi reaffirmed his vision of building “a Nigeria that is united and peaceful,” where every citizen has equal opportunities regardless of tribe, ethnicity or religion.
