Presidential aide Temitope Ajayi has slammed presidential candidate Peter Obi for joining his supporters in snubbing the new national anthem in favour of the one.

MyNigeria reported that Obi and members of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, at an event, refused to sing the new national anthem approved by the President Bola Tinubu administration.

In response, Tinubu's aide condemned Obi for joining a mob to sing the old national anthem, which has now been outlawed by an Act of Parliament, in defiance of the Nigerian state.

He added, "No person seeking to be President of Nigeria should join supporters to do such. Peter Obi should have insisted on the right national anthem. Leadership is about staying firm on what is right, showing and leading the way, not about pandering.

"In a charged political atmosphere, supporters can get over themselves, but leadership demands that a man seeking to be President insist on what is right.

"Faced with a similar situation of unruly and ungarded behavior by supporters during a town hall meeting in 2008, Senator John McCain shut down a supporter who called to question the citizenship and religion of Barack Obama, his main challenger.

"Senator McCain could have taken the easy and more convenient road of allowing a misguided supporter to take a jibe at his opponent. He took a higher moral ground and didn't yield the floor to a conspiracy theorist at his campaign event. He demonstrated dignity, decency, and strong leadership expected of a leader.

"Mr. Obi should not have allowed any kind of assault on the sovereignty and identity of a country he seeks to govern."