Nwankwo, a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ‘Obidient Ninjas’ and a member of the NDC, stated this in an open letter addressed to President Tinubu dated June 23, 2026. The letter was released following remarks by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who had described Obi’s recent resignation call as “childish,” “hollow,” and an unnecessary distraction.
“Mr. Onanuga devoted many paragraphs to data, plaudits, and superhighways. He devoted not a single sentence to the only question that matters: are Nigerians better off today than they were when you swore your oath in May 2023?” Nwankwo said.
The former presidential aspirant also drew parallels between the current situation and President Tinubu’s stance during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to him, Tinubu, while in opposition in 2014, openly called on President Jonathan to resign over the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls and the escalating Boko Haram insurgency at the time, without questioning the appropriateness of such a demand within Nigeria’s presidential system.
“You did not append a footnote explaining that Nigeria runs a presidential system. You considered it patriotic,” he wrote.
Nwankwo argued that the same democratic principles should apply today, maintaining that calls for a sitting president’s resignation should not be dismissed merely because political circumstances have changed.
He also referenced comments made by Presidential Adviser Daniel Bwala, who acknowledged that Tinubu had made similar demands of the Jonathan administration, while questioning the differing reactions to Obi’s recent remarks.
The former Senatorial candidate further challenged the Presidency’s reliance on recent electoral victories as evidence of public approval, arguing that voter turnout remained relatively low despite the ruling party’s acclaimed electoral successes.
On the economy, Nwankwo disputed claims that the country had witnessed significant improvement under the current administration. He pointed to rising poverty levels, persistent inflation, the depreciation of the naira and a decline in foreign direct investment as indicators that many Nigerians were facing increasing hardship.
While acknowledging reports of increased portfolio investments, he argued that long-term productive investments had weakened.
“The naira is stable the way a patient is stable after losing two-thirds of his blood,” he stated.
Nwankwo also questioned official figures on crude oil production, alleging that condensate output was being combined with crude production figures to present more favourable statistics.
The former presidential aspirant extended his criticism to some of the Federal Government’s flagship projects and policies, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
He raised concerns about the procurement process surrounding the coastal highway project and cited reports of alleged irregularities involving student loan disbursements under NELFUND.
According to him, the monthly upkeep allowance available to beneficiaries remains inadequate considering the prevailing economic realities.
On the issue of security, Nwankwo cited reports of increasing incidents of killings and kidnappings across different parts of the country, arguing that the Federal Government bears the constitutional responsibility for protecting lives and property.
He also dismissed suggestions that the country’s economic difficulties were largely the result of external geopolitical developments, insisting that many of Nigeria’s current challenges emerged after key policy decisions taken shortly after the Tinubu administration assumed office.
“The fire was lit at home, three years before the foreign wind your spokesman now points to,” the letter stated.
Invoking Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution, Nwankwo maintained that citizens have the democratic right to demand accountability from elected leaders whenever they believe government has failed to meet its constitutional obligations.
He concluded by defending public criticism and calls for accountability as legitimate democratic tools, urging the administration to respond to citizens’ concerns rather than dismiss dissenting opinions.
“Millions now believe you have failed, on power, on security, on the cost of living, and on the welfare you swore to defend. They are not distracted. They are living in the country your spokesman describes as an exemplar for other nations to copy and they cannot afford the rice,” he said.
