Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, says he is ready to honour any coalition agreement that mandates him to serve only one term as president and hand over power to the North in 2031.
Obi made this known during a widely followed XSpace session tagged #PeterObiOnParallelFacts, where he reiterated that character and integrity mean more to him than political ambition.
“If the agreement is one term, I will leave on May 28, 2031 — not even May 29. I am not desperate to be president. I am desperate to see Nigeria work,” he said in response to a participant’s question.
The interactive session drew over 10,000 live listeners and close to 3,000 comments, covering topics such as coalition politics, national insecurity, and President Bola Tinubu’s foreign engagements.
Coalition Must Focus on Nigeria’s Problems, Not Power Sharing
Obi dismissed speculation about a possible joint ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for 2027, stating no negotiations have taken place. He stressed that any coalition should prioritise addressing Nigeria’s challenges rather than sharing positions.
“If the coalition is about sharing tickets and power for its sake, count me out. I’m not interested. I want a coalition that stops the killings in Borno, puts food on people’s tables, and gets our industries working,” Obi stated.
He also clarified that his supporters are not rejecting the idea of a coalition but are focused on putting Nigeria first.
“It’s not about rejection. We’ve never even discussed tickets. It’s about Nigeria first,” he explained.
On Tinubu’s Foreign Trips: “A Misplacement of Priorities”
Obi criticised President Tinubu’s recent visit to St. Lucia, describing it as out of touch given Nigeria’s worsening security and economic crises.
“You can’t build strong international relations when your domestic house is on fire,” he said, pointing out that St. Lucia, with just 180,000 people, is smaller than Ajegunle in Lagos.
He lamented the mass killings and hardship in the country while leaders focus on foreign trips.
“We’re losing lives in Niger, Benue, Zamfara… and we’re gallivanting. You can’t travel around the world when people are being buried at home. Leaders must stay and lead from the front,” Obi said.
Zoning and Integrity Over Ambition
The former Anambra governor also spoke on the importance of respecting zoning principles, recalling how he honoured such agreements even when it cost him personally.
“Character and integrity are more important to me than any office,” Obi said.