Peter Obi and President Bola Tinubu.
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has backed comments by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, that President Bola Tinubu has done his best to address Nigeria’s security challenges, but argued that the President should now “go home and rest.”
Obi made the remarks during an interview with Chude Jideonwo uploaded on YouTube on Thursday while explaining why Nigerians should support his presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 election.
Responding to Adeboye’s recent comments on Tinubu’s handling of insecurity, Obi said the respected cleric’s assessment was accurate.
“Somebody asked me yesterday, they said that Pastor Adeboye said Tinubu has tried his best and he’s not happy. And I said, no, Pastor Adeboye remains a very revered, respected religious father, whom I believe in his genuineness and goodness.
“And what he said was correct. He said he has tried his best. He’s trying his best. That’s it. It’s the correct answer. The question to ask is: Is his best good enough? Where we find ourselves today, that leads to the issue of capacity.”
Obi maintained that Nigeria’s leadership challenge goes beyond effort, insisting that the country requires leaders with the competence and capacity to tackle its pressing problems.
“When I talk about leadership, I say competence, capacity, compassion, commitment, character. These are the issues. President Tinubu is tired. He needs to go home and rest,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor also urged Nigerians to assess his past record alongside his current policy proposals when deciding who should lead the country.
“It’s for you to look at my past and look at what I’m saying now,” he said.
Adeboye had recently defended Tinubu against criticism over worsening insecurity, arguing that the President had fulfilled his responsibility by issuing directives to the military rather than personally participating in operations.
The cleric, however, also expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation and urged the government to intensify efforts to tackle terrorism, kidnapping and their sponsors.
