Ologun urges Nigerians to wait for elections, not speak out, and criticizes Obi for urging Tinubu to resign.

The General Executive Director of the Centre for Responsive Governance, Ayodeji Ologun, warned the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi after Obi called for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign.

Ologun said that Obi’s position does not reflect the views of Nigerians. He added that while citizens can demand accountability from leaders, decisions about a change in leadership should ultimately be made through the ballot box at elections.

Obi had urged Tinubu to follow the example of former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and step down, arguing that the current administration has failed to meet Nigeria’s expectations amid worsening economic and social conditions.

Speaking on Tuesday in an interview on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese‑Ijebu, with our correspondent in Abeokuta, Ologun noted that it is not inappropriate for any Nigerian, including political actors, to question an elected president’s performance or suggest resignation in cases of extreme dissatisfaction.

He said, “There is nothing wrong in calling for the resignation of a president. And I can say that, coming from the personality of Peter Obi, without sounding immodest, it is simply political.”

Ologun further questioned the global rarity of voluntary presidential resignations, noting that most democratically elected leaders rarely step down despite pressure or criticism.

He added that governance assessment should not be reduced to emotional interpretations or single opinions presented as national consensus.

“In the history of the world, how many democratically elected presidents have we seen resign, irrespective of what has become the outcome of their presidency? Because people are quick to say, ‘Oh, it’s an African thing. Nobody in Africa resigns.’”

“But I’m asking now, justifiably, by facts and figures, how many presidents in the history of the world have ever resigned their position after being democratically elected, irrespective of the outcome of their presidency, even irrespective of their health condition, including American presidents? No,” he said, buttressing his claim.

He argued that the credibility of a public statement is often influenced by the political identity and track record of the person making it, insisting that audiences should critically interrogate figures and claims before treating them as objective truth.

“I’m sorry, one of the reasons I don’t love Peter Obi and I will never support him is the fact that he misrepresents facts a lot. If Peter Obi gives you a figure in an interview, go and fact‑check it; you are going to find it to be a lie most probably. Eighty per cent of the time, the figures he gives out are always false,” he asserted.

He added that most elected leaders typically serve out their full tenure unless compelled by extreme circumstances such as serious health challenges or the threat of impeachment.