Presidential hopeful from PRP turns down party chair's demand for Tinubu to step down

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A presidential aspirant of the Peoples Redemption Party in the 2027 general elections, Yakubu Mohammed Kingsley, has distanced himself from the party’s National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, over the latter’s call for President Bola Tinubu to resign over the country’s worsening insecurity.

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Kingsley, in a statement personally signed and made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, said he did not support calls for the President’s resignation, insisting that Nigeria’s democracy provides constitutional processes for leadership transition.

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The statement, titled “A Message of Hope to the Nigerian People: Nigeria Shall Rise Again,” urged Nigerians to focus on strengthening democratic institutions and preparing for the 2027 general elections.

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“I do not support calls for the resignation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Nigeria’s democracy provides constitutional processes for leadership transition, and our focus should be on strengthening our institutions and preparing for the 2027 General Elections,” Kingsley said.

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The PRP chieftain, who is challenging in court the outcome of the party’s May 25 presidential primary that produced former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke as the party’s presidential candidate, said the country’s challenges require visionary leadership rather than unconstitutional actions.

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He lamented the prevailing economic hardship and insecurity across the country, saying many Nigerians were struggling to survive.

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“Across every region of our country, millions of our fellow citizens are experiencing unprecedented economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and uncertainty about the future.

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“Families struggle daily to afford basic necessities. Businesses are closing under the pressure of rising operating costs. Farmers cannot safely cultivate many of our fertile lands because of insecurity. Young graduates continue to search for meaningful employment despite possessing enormous talents and aspirations,” he said.

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Kingsley said his humble upbringing and professional experience had shaped his vision for national development.

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“As one who was born into a humble family in Auchi, Edo State, I understand hardship. Before attending school, I hawked pap to support my family. Those experiences shaped my lifelong commitment to creating opportunities for ordinary Nigerians,” he said.

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He added that his 25 years at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation equipped him with the experience needed to address Nigeria’s developmental challenges.

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“My professional journey took me through engineering and twenty-five years of distinguished service at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, where I contributed to petroleum infrastructure, engineering projects, pipeline systems, refinery improvement initiatives and strategic national planning.

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“Those experiences convinced me that Nigeria’s greatest challenge has never been a shortage of resources but the need for visionary leadership, institutional discipline and consistent implementation,” he stated.

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While expressing sympathy with victims of insecurity and economic hardship, Kingsley said his proposed YMK Nigeria Project offered practical solutions to the country’s problems.

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“I mourn with families that have lost loved ones through insecurity and sympathise with workers, entrepreneurs and young Nigerians facing economic hardship,” he said.

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He added, “Through the YMK Nigeria Project, I offer practical solutions centred on national security, electricity, industrialisation, hydrocarbon development, agriculture, youth empowerment, infrastructure, transparent governance and economic diversification.

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“Nigeria possesses the people, the resources and the potential to become one of the world’s leading economies. Together, through competent leadership and responsible citizenship, we can build a secure, prosperous, industrialised and globally respected nation.”

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Kingsley’s position comes days after the PRP National Chairman, Baba-Ahmed, called on President Tinubu to resign, arguing that the security situation under the current administration had deteriorated significantly.

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Recall that in a statement on Thursday, the National Chairman of the PRP, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, stated that the security situation under the Tinubu administration had deteriorated to alarming levels, with violent criminals operating freely across various parts of the country.

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According to him, no Nigerian is safe under the current administration, as insecurity has spread beyond previously affected regions to virtually every part of the country.n

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