Former Anambra State Governor Governor Peter Obi yesterday reiterated his resolve to serve a four-year single term, if elected as president in 2027.
He maintained his determination to re-contest in a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, describing the pledge as “sacrosanct” and rooted in his commitment to purposeful and accountable leadership.
Obi stated: “I will serve only one term of four years if elected President. And that vow is sacrosanct.”
It was a vieled reaction to the remarks by Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo and former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, who doubted that Obi would keep to his works.
Soludo, who spoke in Awka, the state capital, at the weekend, said any presidential aspirant who promised to spend one term could not be trusted, adding that he should be referred to a psychiatric.
He said: “Some of them want to lie to us, how can anyone with a brain – you think you are talking to fools – you come to people and say ‘I will do only one term’.
“Any politician who says that must be sent to a psychiatric home because the person must have some mental problem.
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“When the constitution allows you to stay up to eight years, you come and tell us where it has ever happened. Anybody who says he needs only one term needs psychiatric evaluation because you are taking everybody to be a fool.”
Speaking on television last week, Aliyu, who acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s feats, said a single term of four years is not feasible.
Reflecting on the push for a one-term president for the North by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or South by Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Aliyu said it is illogical, adding that nobody can predict the future.
He stressed: “ I have heard many of the presidential aspirants already saying they will serve one term. Now, if a northerner says he’s serving one term, what problem is he creating for the North? If a southerner said, I’m only going to serve one term, what guarantee do you have?”
Other observers contented that Obi may renege on his promise, recalling that when he vowed not to defect from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2010, he ate his words and defected to the PDP where he became running mate to Atiku in 2019.
But citing examples of globally respected leaders who served brief, yet impactful terms, Obi promised to follow the examples of former United States Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, as well as former South African President Nelson Mandela.
He stressed: “One of the greatest American presidents, Abraham Lincoln, served only four years, yet his legacy endures… Mandela chose to serve only one term… His decision was a deliberate act of leadership.”
Acknowledging widespread distrust in the country, Obi said many Nigerians no longer take politicians for their words.
He stated: “But even in this climate of cynicism, there are still a few whose actions have matched their words — whose integrity is built on verifiable facts.”
Obi tackled the skepticism over his one-term vow, saying: “Recently, I became aware of two statements aimed, albeit indirectly, at my vow to serve only a single four-year term.
“One person remarked that even if I were sworn in by a shrine, I still wouldn’t be believed. Another suggested that anyone talking about doing only one term should undergo psychiatric evaluation.”
Obi defended his record as a former governor, saying: “I fulfilled each of those promises without deviation. My word is my bond.”
He also outlined his top priorities, including improving governance, tackling insecurity, prioritizing education and healthcare, fighting corruption, and transforming Nigeria’s economy from consumption-based to production-driven.
Obi added: “Forty-eight months is enough for any leader who is focused and prepared to make a meaningful difference.”
