Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate and prominent opposition figure, Peter Obi, has reignited national political discourse by reaffirming his vow to serve only one term if elected president in 2027—a pledge that has triggered mixed reactions among Northern political stakeholders.
Over the weekend, the former Anambra State governor restated his commitment to the one-term agenda, maintaining that the promise remains firm.
“It is within this context that I reiterate my vow: I will serve only one term of four years if elected President. And that vow is sacrosanct,” Obi said.
Reacting to the renewed declaration, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Political Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, expressed doubt over political promises in general but acknowledged that anything is possible in Nigeria’s political landscape.
He urged Nigerians to be more interrogative of candidates ahead of the 2027 elections and to demand clear, actionable commitments.
“I have no idea because there are so many permutations and I think politicians are breaking the rules but right now, as we speak, anything is possible in this country,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“I hope that as we get closer to the elections, Nigerians will interrogate every candidate so that they will be specific in terms of what they want to do about the security of the country, about the high cost of living, in terms of the collapse of the independence of education and healthcare.”
He further emphasized: “I hope Nigerians will press every candidate irrespective of the party. We need to pin our candidates down and ask for specific promises.”
Baba-Ahmed warned that Nigerians must be discerning in their choices, especially as the country prepares for another critical electoral cycle.
“My view is that Nigerians should be very careful about who they elect as president and governors in 2027. It’s very important because we need good people, honest people, people who have the political will to fight, protect Nigerians, and protect the assets of Nigerians,” he said.
“Yes, four years is enough. If you come with a set of ideas that are realistic and relevant to the circumstances under which you govern, you pick a good team to work with you, and you avoid the temptation to seek for power rather than the capacity to govern, yes four years is very good.”
Baba-Ahmed reiterated that the constitution’s four-year term was designed to give any capable leader a fair opportunity to make meaningful impact.
“It wasn’t by accident that those who drafted the constitution said you have four years then you can come back for another four years. Four years is good enough and if you are good enough to seek another mandate, we will measure you on the basis of your first four years, so I don’t have a problem with four years,” he added.
However, not all Northern voices share his optimism.
Anthony Sani, a former Secretary General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), voiced deep skepticism about Obi’s pledge, suggesting that it may be driven more by political calculations than by a genuine intention to serve briefly and leave.
Sani argued that Obi is constitutionally entitled to two terms and that his one-term promise may be a strategy aimed at gaining northern acceptance.
“I would say the political arithmetic is simple. Peter Obi’s pledge to do only one term of four years from 2027 to 2031 is informed more by his desire to seek accommodation by the politics of zoning which makes it mandatory for the presidency to leave the South in 2031 to the North,” Sani said.
“President Bola Tinubu is the only southerner who has only one term of four years (2027–2031) to go. Any other aspirant is constitutionally allowed to do a maximum of two terms of four years each.”
According to Sani, many in the North may prefer Tinubu to Obi because of the clearer transition back to Northern leadership in 2031.
“Naturally, Northerners would prefer President Bola Tinubu to Peter Obi due to the term limits for the two of them: Bola Tinubu has only one term left while Peter Obi can do two terms. That is what has compelled Peter Obi to pledge he would do one term from 2027 to 2031. The pledge is not based on performance but informed by expedience.”
He further warned that Obi’s political allies might influence his decision to seek a second term if elected, casting doubt on the reliability of his one-term promise.
“And given the nature of politics which is about group goals, group interest, group cohesion, group coherence and even group conspiracy, the decision to recontest after one term would not be taken by Peter Obi alone. His group will have a say. As a result, northerners may not trust that Peter Obi will leave office after one term,” Sani stated.
