‘Is He Going For Boxing?’ APC Dismisses Peter Obi’s Call For Tinubu’s Resignation

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi’s call for President Bola Tinubu to step aside ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that the President remains physically fit, actively engaged in governance and retains the support of many Nigerians.

APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, rejected Obi’s suggestion that President Tinubu was too tired to continue in office, describing the claim as unfounded.

“Is he going for boxing or the 100 metres?” Yilwatda asked. “President Tinubu is in the office every day. I was with him last Thursday. He was there in the morning and left late at night.

“That is someone who works from morning till night. People talk about the rigours of office, but the President is standing and carrying out his responsibilities,” the APC chair added.

His remarks came in response to comments made by Obi during an interview with Channels Television, where the former Anambra State governor urged President Tinubu to step aside before the 2027 election.

“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 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate argued that Nigeria was facing worsening economic hardship, insecurity, poverty and hunger, insisting the country required leadership with the energy and capacity to confront the challenges.

Obi said the 2027 election should focus on issues affecting ordinary Nigerians rather than personalities, citing concerns over rising poverty, food insecurity, out-of-school children and persistent kidnappings across parts of the country.

He also maintained that, if elected president, he would adopt a more hands-on approach to governance, particularly in tackling insecurity, while reiterating that his ambition was driven by a desire to see Nigeria work rather than personal political interests.

Beneficiary Advantage?

Responding to suggestions that Nigerians might choose to retire the President in the next election, Yilwatda argued that several initiatives from the current administration had earned public support.

He cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying millions of students and their parents had benefited from the scheme and looked forward to its continuation.

“You mean the millions of students receiving loans and celebrating them every day on social media, together with their parents who are hoping their children will access higher education through NELFUND, want the President to retire?” he said.

The APC chairman also pointed to projects being undertaken by the Tinubu administration, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, upgrades to the nation’s ports and the expansion of gas pipeline infrastructure, among others.

He added that farmers in northern Nigeria were also benefiting from government interventions aimed at improving access to fertilisers.

While the administration acknowledges the country’s security and economic challenges, the APC chair said many of the problems predate Tinubu’s tenure.

Yilwatda maintained that the government was making steady progress in addressing long-standing issues inherited from previous administrations.