The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has agreed with the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, that President Bola Tinubu has done his best in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, but argued that his best is no longer sufficient.
Obi made the remarks during an interview with Chude Jideonwo, published on YouTube on Thursday, while responding to questions on why Nigerians should support his presidential ambition over other opposition candidates.
Asked why he deserved to be elected, Obi urged Nigerians to judge him by his record and the vision he has presented for the country.
“It’s for you to look at my past and look at what I’m saying now,” he said.
Reacting to Adeboye’s recent comments on Tinubu’s handling of insecurity, Obi described the cleric as a respected religious leader and agreed with his assessment that the President had made his best effort.
“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,” Obi said.
“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.”
The former Anambra State governor maintained that effective leadership requires competence, capacity, compassion, commitment and character, arguing that Nigeria’s current security situation reflects the need for more capable leadership.
“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,” Obi stated.
Adeboye had earlier defended the President against criticism over rising insecurity during the US-Nigeria Faith Heroes Award Gala organised by the Save Nigeria Group in Washington, D.C., on June 23.
The cleric said Tinubu had fulfilled his responsibility by issuing directives to security agencies, stressing that a commander-in-chief was not expected to personally lead military operations.
“I don’t support those who are accusing the president of not doing enough. When the commander-in-chief has given instructions to his subordinates, he has done his bit. You don’t expect him to go and put on khaki and fight,” Adeboye had said.
Despite defending the President, Adeboye expressed concern over the worsening security situation, noting that terrorism and kidnapping had spread beyond northern Nigeria to the southern part of the country.
He also disclosed that he advised Tinubu to give military commanders a 90-day ultimatum to end insecurity or resign, while urging the government to identify and prosecute those sponsoring terrorism.
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