NEWS
I Will Never Abuse Tinubu, He Has All My Respect As President — Peter Obi Affirms
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, Peter Obi, has said he will not resort to personal insults or verbal attacks against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing that his respect for the President and the office he occupies remains intact despite political differences.
Obi made the remarks on Friday while speaking at the 2026 All Nigeria Editors’ Conference in Enugu, organised around the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive.”
The former Anambra State governor used the occasion to draw a distinction between political criticism and personal attacks, arguing that disagreements in a democracy should centre on government policies, decisions, performance and the impact of those decisions on citizens rather than descend into abuse or name-calling.
According to Obi, the same principle applies to governors, ministers, lawmakers and other public officials, regardless of their political affiliations or positions.
“I cannot abuse any governor. I cannot abuse anybody in government. I don’t need to abuse people even in federal government. I’ve never abused anybody. Who has seen me calling President Tinubu’s name? Never! I will not do that. He’s the President of the country, he has all my respect,” the NDC candidate said.
While making clear that he would not personally attack the President, Obi maintained that respect for public office must not translate into silence or immunity from scrutiny.
He said citizens have the right to question government decisions, assess the performance of elected officials and challenge policies they consider ineffective or harmful.
“But I can argue on other issues, whether you’re doing well, or you’re not doing the right thing. That is allowed,” he said.
His comments came against the backdrop of Nigeria’s increasingly competitive political environment ahead of the 2027 elections, where political parties and candidates are expected to intensify their campaigns and present competing visions for the country.
Obi also placed responsibility on the media and the wider public to maintain a culture of accountability by examining the actions and records of political leaders rather than allowing political debate to be reduced to personal exchanges.
He argued that public office holders should understand that occupying positions of authority comes with a responsibility to demonstrate the values they expect society to uphold.
The NDC candidate further maintained that politicians should be prepared for their records, public statements, qualifications and conduct to be subjected to rigorous public examination.
“We must, because the leader… the character and behavior of the leader exemplifies the value of the society. And the leader must live it,” he said.
Obi’s remarks therefore placed emphasis on issue-based political engagement, with the former Anambra governor presenting scrutiny of policies and performance as a legitimate component of democratic governance while drawing a line between criticism and personal abuse.
The conference, which brought together editors and media professionals from across the country, provided a platform for discussions on the role of journalism, political participation, elections and institutional accountability in sustaining Nigeria’s democratic system.