Obi Media to Tinubu: Surrogates Can Campaign, But They Can’t Defend Failures
Abuja, Nigeria – 15 October 2026- The media office of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has fired a sharp challenge at President Bola Tinubu, insisting that political surrogates can campaign in his name but cannot defend the failures of his administration before the Nigerian people.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday by Idris Zekeri, spokesperson for the Peter Obi Media Office (also referred to as Peter Obi Media Reach or POMR), the camp rejected the idea that the demands of governance should keep the President away from the campaign trail as the 2027 general elections approach.
The reaction followed reports that President Tinubu, while inaugurating the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, indicated that governance responsibilities and the country’s financial obligations may limit his personal participation in every campaign event.
He urged party leaders and allies to lead the nationwide mobilization efforts on his behalf.
Obi’s media team described this approach as an attempt to govern by proxy and campaign through surrogates while seeking another mandate from citizens struggling under the weight of current policies.
“President Bola Tinubu reportedly says the demands of governance may keep him away from the campaign trail. Nigerians deserve to ask: If he cannot make time to face the electorate, why should surrogates be sent to ask for their votes?” the statement queried.
The office argued that accountability cannot be delegated. “The President cannot outsource the defence of his record to political allies, party chieftains, and praise singers while millions of Nigerians struggle with the consequences of his government’s policies,” Zekeri said.
In a series of pointed lines that quickly gained traction online, the statement declared: “Surrogates can speak for the President, but they cannot answer for his failures. They can repeat his promises, but they cannot make those promises a reality. They can campaign in his name, but they cannot carry his responsibility.”
The media office challenged Tinubu to personally explain the impact of his policies on everyday life. It asked why, if the administration has delivered on its promises, the President would be reluctant to defend that record directly.
It further demanded that he explain how any claimed economic improvement is reflected in the cost of food, transportation, electricity, housing, and other basic necessities that ordinary citizens continue to struggle with.
“Governance is not an excuse to avoid accountability. In a democracy, governance is the very record a candidate must defend before asking for another mandate,” the statement emphasized.
It stressed that Nigerians are not being asked to elect the President’s surrogates. They are being asked to assess Tinubu himself—his policies, his promises, and his performance in office.
“You cannot send surrogates to collect the votes while keeping the President away from the questions. You cannot delegate the campaign and expect Nigerians to forget who must answer for the record,” the office added.
The statement concluded with a clear democratic principle: “A President who seeks the people’s mandate must be prepared to face the people. Surrogates may carry the message, but they cannot carry the burden of accountability.”
The intervention comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election, scheduled for January.
Campaigns formally began earlier under the provisions of the 2026 Electoral Act, setting the stage for a prolonged period of intense political engagement.
Obi’s camp has consistently positioned its candidate as focused on issues of competence, character, record, and ideas rather than proxy politics.
Thursday’s statement reinforces that stance by framing the coming election as a direct contest between the President and the people, not a contest of who can mobilize the loudest army of surrogates.
Political observers note that the exchange highlights growing tensions over how the incumbent administration intends to seek re-election amid widespread public concerns about the cost of living, economic hardship, and the tangible impact of reforms introduced since 2023.
While the APC and the Presidency have yet to issue a detailed response to the specific statement as of Thursday evening, the message from Obi’s media office has already sparked debate across social media and political circles, with many citizens echoing the call for direct presidential engagement.
For now, the challenge stands: Will President Tinubu personally defend his administration’s record before Nigerians, or will the 2027 campaign largely be fought by those speaking on his behalf?
The answer, according to Peter Obi’s media team, will say as much about the state of democratic accountability as it will about the election itself.
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