Daud Olatunji
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has said he will continue to scrutinise and challenge policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration but will not resort to personal attacks or insults against the President.
Obi stated this while speaking at the 2026 All Nigeria Editors Conference organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Enugu.
The conference, held under the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” brought together editors and other stakeholders to examine Nigeria’s democratic process, the media and challenges ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former Anambra State governor said political disagreements should centre on policies, decisions and the performance of public office holders rather than descend into name-calling and personal abuse.
Obi said, **“I cannot abuse any governor. I cannot abuse anybody in government. I’ve never abused anybody. Who has seen me calling President Tinubu’s name? Never!
“I will not do that. He’s the President of the country, he has all my respect.”**
He, however, maintained that respect for the President and other public officials should not prevent Nigerians, journalists and opposition politicians from asking difficult questions about government policies and decisions.
According to him, citizens should assess leaders based on their records, qualifications, conduct and the consequences of their policies.
Obi also stressed the importance of leadership character in shaping society, arguing that those occupying public offices should demonstrate integrity and responsibility because their conduct could influence the values of the wider society.
The NDC candidate used the occasion to call for stronger accountability in public office, particularly amid continuing debates over government spending, state debts and governance practices.
His comments came as the editors’ conference placed the media’s watchdog role at the centre of discussions on Nigeria’s democratic future.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who addressed the conference through a goodwill message, similarly urged the media to scrutinise government while reporting the country’s economic progress. He said government and the media would not always agree, arguing that democracy was strengthened by informed and responsible disagreement.
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah also challenged editors to go beyond official claims and independently establish facts, while stressing the need for investigative journalism and responsible reporting.
The conference is coming ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the Nigerian Guild of Editors warning about the impact of misinformation and artificial intelligence-generated falsehoods on voters and the electoral process.
The conference’s sub-theme was “When Lies Look Real: Detecting and Debunking AI Disinformation Before, During and After Election.”
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