The Presidency has urged Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to recommend retirement from politics to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, citing Nelson Mandela’s decision to retire from politics upon reaching old age.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, made the call in reaction to Obi’s renewed commitment to a one-term presidency, which the former Anambra governor defended by citing globally revered leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela.
Obi, in a post on X on Sunday, had said, “One of the greatest American Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, served only four years, yet his legacy endures as a model of principled leadership.
“Another iconic figure, John F. Kennedy, did not even complete a full term, yet his vision and ideals continue to inspire generations.
In Africa, Nelson Mandela, revered globally as a symbol of justice and reconciliation, chose to serve only one term as President of South Africa, despite immense public pressure to stay longer.”
Responding, Onanuga criticised Obi’s historical references, accusing him of distorting facts and misleading his supporters.
“Peter Obi, the aspiring presidential candidate of the fledgling opposition party, must have flunked history in school,” Onanuga wrote in a statement posted on X. “In justifying his so-called ‘sacrosanct’ pledge to serve only one term, he cited Abraham Lincoln, JFK, and Nelson Mandela—leaders he wanted to emulate.”
He pointed out that Lincoln was re-elected and had been inaugurated for a second term before his assassination in April 1865. Similarly, Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 before completing his first term, while Mandela served one term by choice, stepping aside at age 81.
“Mandela’s example,” Onanuga added, “might be more appropriately recommended to Obi’s rival for the opposition ticket, who will turn 81 by 2027.”
The comments appear to be a direct swipe at Atiku Abubakar, the consistent presidential contender and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election.