President Bola Tinubu
Presidential media aide, Sunday Dare, has criticised the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his recent call for President Bola Tinubu to resign, describing the demand as evidence of a poor understanding of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.
In a statement on Tuesday, Dare said Obi’s remarks were not the actions of a statesman but those of a politician who was increasingly blurring the line between legitimate opposition and constitutional reality.
According to him, Nigeria operates a presidential system of government where elected leaders serve fixed terms and can only leave office through constitutional means.
“His latest call for President Bola Tinubu to resign is not the intervention of a statesman. It is the outburst of a politician who appears increasingly unable to distinguish between political opposition and constitutional reality,” Dare said.
He argued that Obi’s demand ignored the constitutional framework governing the country, stressing that Nigeria is not a parliamentary system where governments can be removed through votes of no confidence.
“Nigeria is not a parliamentary system where governments rise and fall on votes of confidence. Nigeria is a constitutional presidential democracy. Presidents are elected for fixed terms and leave office through elections, constitutional processes, incapacity or the expiration of their mandate. This is elementary civic knowledge,” he stated.
Dare questioned Obi’s readiness for the nation’s highest office, saying a presidential aspirant should demonstrate respect for constitutional principles.
“It raises a troubling question: if a man seeking the presidency cannot demonstrate respect for the constitutional foundations of the office, why should Nigerians trust him with that office?” he asked.
The presidential aide further accused Obi of focusing excessively on the country’s challenges while failing to acknowledge areas where, according to him, progress has been recorded under the Tinubu administration.
“Every challenge facing Nigeria becomes, in Obi’s telling, proof of total failure. Every difficulty becomes a national catastrophe. Every setback becomes an excuse for outrage. Yet when the economy records growth, when foreign reserves rise, when revenues improve, when infrastructure projects advance, or when security forces record successes, Obi suddenly loses his voice,” Dare said.
He described Obi’s approach as “a politics of selective outrage” and argued that national leadership requires balance, maturity and the ability to offer practical solutions rather than constant criticism.
“A serious national leader acknowledges both challenges and progress. A serious leader offers alternatives. A serious leader understands that governing a nation of over 200 million people requires more than tweets, soundbites and perpetual criticism,” he added.
Dare also suggested that Obi’s public image as a viable presidential contender was being weakened by what he termed repeated controversial statements.
“There was a time when many Nigerians viewed him as a credible presidential contender. That perception is fading rapidly. With each reckless statement, he reinforces the impression that he is less interested in governing Nigeria than in constantly protesting Nigeria,” he said.
The presidential aide maintained that the presidency requires constitutional discipline and sound judgment, insisting that Obi’s call for Tinubu’s resignation reflected impatience and poor political judgment.
“By calling for President Tinubu’s resignation, Peter Obi has done more damage to his own presidential credentials than any political opponent could have done. He has revealed a level of impatience, poor judgment and political desperation that should concern even his most loyal supporters,” Dare stated.
He concluded by saying that political leaders must choose between being serious contenders for power and remaining critics of those in government.
“At some point, every politician must decide whether he wishes to be a serious contender for power or merely a professional critic of those who hold it. Peter Obi’s latest outburst suggests he has made his choice. The tragedy is that he may not realise it.”
