Nigeria stands on the edge of a deepening economic and security crisis, according to Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, who says the country cannot afford to wait until 2027 for a change in leadership.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Obi painted a grim picture of the nation’s economic outlook, citing projections that nearly 79 per cent of Nigerians could soon fall below the poverty line, with millions more facing food insecurity. It is against this backdrop, he said, that President Bola Tinubu should consider stepping down before his term ends.
Obi did not mince words about what he sees as a decline in the president’s capacity to govern. Drawing a sharp comparison between Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State governor and his current performance in office, Obi suggested the president once known for dynamism has lost that edge.
“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 did not stop there. He went further to question whether Tinubu has what it takes to steer the country out of its current troubles, framing his call for retirement as a matter of national survival rather than political rivalry.
“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 said.
Beyond the leadership question, Obi urged Nigerians to redirect their focus toward the everyday struggles shaping ordinary lives, poverty, hunger, poor education outcomes, and worsening insecurity, rather than getting caught up in political permutations ahead of the next election cycle.
The conversation also touched on recent remarks by United States President Donald Trump, who praised Tinubu’s handling of Nigeria’s security challenges. Obi did not dismiss the compliment outright but was quick to temper it with a reality check.
“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.
He added that even an endorsement from a foreign leader could not paper over the scale of the crisis at home. “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.”
For Obi, the message is clear: commendations from abroad mean little if millions of Nigerians continue to slide deeper into poverty and insecurity at home. His renewed call for Tinubu’s exit, he insists, is rooted not in political ambition but in urgency, a demand for leadership capable of matching the scale of the nation’s problems before more damage is done.
By Ezeana Emmanuel
