Photo: Peter Obi
By Mandy Park
The Peter Obi Media Office has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally engage Nigerians as he seeks re-election in the 2027 presidential election, warning against what it described as a growing reliance on political surrogates.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its spokesman, Idris Zekeri Jnr, the media office said the President must personally meet Nigerians, defend his administration’s record and answer questions from the electorate rather than rely predominantly on ministers, party officials, governors and other political associates.
The group, in a statement titled “No More Proxy Campaigns, Nigeria: The President Should Be a Servant-Leader, Not a Demigod,” said the 2027 election should be a contest based on candidates’ records, competence, ideas and character.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) currently lists January 16, 2027, as the date for the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The Peter Obi Media Office alleged that President Tinubu was positioning himself for a second term without sufficiently meeting the electorate directly.
It said: “President Tinubu can deploy surrogates to speak for him, sign documents on his behalf, or represent him at some public events, but he cannot send a surrogate to meet the Nigerian people on his behalf.”
According to the group, presidential candidates seeking the mandate of Nigerians must have the courage to appear before the electorate, explain their policies, defend their records and respond directly to questions from citizens.
“The 2027 election is not a ceremony to be performed by representatives. It is a contest for the leadership of more than 200 million Nigerians, and those seeking the mandate must have the courage to stand before the people, answer their questions, and defend their records,” it said.
The media office also criticised the President over his absence from a National Peace Accord event convened by the National Peace Committee under the leadership of former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
It said such platforms were important to the promotion of peaceful, credible and transparent elections and urged political leaders to demonstrate commitment to democratic engagement.
The group further called for direct engagement between presidential candidates and Nigerians at major national platforms, including professional and civic forums where the candidates can be questioned on issues affecting the country.
“The Nigerian people need to see the candidate. They need to hear the candidate. They need to question the candidate,” the statement said.
The media office challenged Tinubu to personally explain the performance of his administration since assuming office in May 2023, particularly its economic policies and their impact on Nigerians.
It urged the President to explain the state of the economy, the hardship confronting families, the rationale behind his policies and what Nigerians should expect if he secures a second term.
“If the President believes his administration has performed well, let him come before Nigerians and say so himself,” the group said.
“Let him explain the economy. Let him explain the hardship confronting families. Let him explain his policies. Let the candidate explain what has changed since 2023. Let him tell Nigerians what he intends to do differently in a second term.”
The Peter Obi Media Office stressed that its demand should not be interpreted as disrespect for the President, but as a call for accountability and democratic engagement.
It therefore challenged Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress to move beyond what it described as “proxy campaigning” and engage voters directly.
The group said the 2027 presidential contest should not become a competition between political surrogates, but one in which Nigerians assess the candidates themselves.
“The 2027 election must be a contest of candidates, competence, records, ideas, and character — not a contest of who can deploy the loudest army of surrogates,” it said.
The statement concluded with a direct appeal to the President: “No more proxy campaigns. No more presidential hide-and-seek. If President Tinubu wants a second term, let him come to the people.”
The media office added that Nigerians should be allowed to question presidential candidates directly and make their choice based on the candidates’ records, programmes and vision for the country.
“This is the spirit of democracy. We are electing a servant of the people, not a demigod,” it said.
INEC’s published 2027 election information confirms that the presidential election is scheduled for January 16, 2027.
