Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Yakubu Mohammed Kingsley, has publicly disassociated himself from the position of the party’s National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who recently urged President Bola Tinubu to resign over rising insecurity in the country.
In a statement personally signed and released to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, Kingsley said he does not support any call for the President’s resignation, stressing that Nigeria’s Constitution already provides lawful and democratic procedures for leadership change.
He called on Nigerians to channel their energy toward strengthening democratic institutions and preparing for the 2027 elections rather than pushing for unconstitutional transitions.
“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,” he stated.
Kingsley, who is currently challenging the outcome of the PRP presidential primary held on May 25—an election that produced former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke as the party’s candidate—argued that the nation’s problems require strategic and visionary leadership rather than actions outside constitutional provisions.
He acknowledged the deepening hardship and insecurity in the country, noting that millions of Nigerians are currently struggling with rising costs of living, unemployment, and safety concerns.
According to him, “Across every region of our country, millions of our fellow citizens are experiencing unprecedented economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and uncertainty about the future.
“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.”
Speaking on his background, Kingsley said his upbringing and career journey shaped his commitment to national development.
Born into a modest family in Auchi, Edo State, he recalled hawking pap before school as a child to support his household, saying the experience strengthened his resolve to create opportunities for ordinary Nigerians.
He also highlighted his 25-year career at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, where he worked in areas such as petroleum infrastructure, pipeline systems, refinery improvement projects, and strategic planning, saying the experience exposed him to Nigeria’s developmental challenges.
Kingsley maintained that Nigeria’s core problem is not a lack of resources but a deficit of visionary leadership, institutional discipline, and consistent policy implementation.
While expressing sympathy with victims of insecurity and economic hardship, he outlined his proposed “YMK Nigeria Project” as a framework for addressing national challenges. The plan focuses on security, electricity, industrialisation, agriculture, youth empowerment, infrastructure, transparent governance, hydrocarbon development, and economic diversification.
He added that Nigeria has the human and material resources to become a leading global economy if guided by competent leadership and responsible governance.
His remarks come in the wake of a recent statement by PRP National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who called for President Tinubu’s resignation, citing worsening insecurity across the country and arguing that violent attacks have spread nationwide, leaving citizens increasingly unsafe.