Nigerians won’t vote a president that governs by proxy, campaigns through surrogates – Obi chides Tinubu

By Jude Opara

The Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi
has told President Bola Tinubu to perish the idea of returning to office in 2027 because Nigerians will not vote for a president that has continued to govern by proxy while leaving his reelection campaign for his surrogates.

Obi in a statement on Thursday through the Spokesman of the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Idris Zekeri alleged that what Tinubu is attempting to do is to delegate accountability, which is required of him as the president of the country.

Zekeri said the president’s claim that the demands of governance may keep him away from the campaign trail is a slight one Nigerians whom he argued deserve to ask the person who wants to preside over their affairs some pertinent questions.

“The President cannot delegate accountability. He 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.

“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”.

Obi further alleged that Tinubu has clearly failed, hence he is unwilling to to face the voters. He said that there is little or nothing to show for the over three years of the Tinubu administration, hence the reluctance to go around and campaign directly to the people.

“If the administration has delivered on its promises, why should the President be reluctant to defend that record before Nigerians himself? If the economy is improving, let him explain how that improvement is reflected in the cost of food, transportation, electricity, housing, and necessities. If his policies are working, let him face the citizens who want to know when the hardship will end.

“Mr President, 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.
Nigerians are not being asked to elect your surrogates.

“They are being asked to assess you, your policies, your promises, and your performance. No surrogate can stand in your place when it is time to answer for the state of the nation.

“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 Nigerian people deserve a direct conversation with their President, not a relay of rehearsed talking points from political messengers. If there is a record to defend, let the President defend it. If there are promises yet to be fulfilled, let him explain them. And if Nigerians are being asked to renew his mandate, let him have the courage to face their questions”.

The statement concluded by stating that a president who seeks the people’s mandate must be prepared to face the people, because surrogates may carry the message, but they cannot carry the burden of accountability.