Obi vows to serve single term as president despite pressure

THE presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, has reiterated that he will spend only four years in office if elected president, insisting that no circumstance can make him seek a second term.

Speaking during an interview scheduled to air on News Central TV on Thursday, Mr Obi said his preference for a single tenure is rooted in the need for stability and responsible leadership.

“I want to be a one-term president because of stability,” he said.

The former governor of Anambra State added that he would not remain in office beyond four years “even with a gun to my head.”

Obi also took aim at the economic policies of the administration of Bola Tinubu, criticising continued borrowing and worsening living conditions across the country. According to him, Nigeria is currently facing one of the toughest economic periods in its history.

READ ALSO: Peter Obi quits ADC, set to join NDC with Kwankwaso

In the 2023 presidential election, Obi finished third behind former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Tinubu, who emerged winner of the poll.

After joining the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in June 2025, Obi repeatedly maintained that he would serve only one term if elected in 2027.

During a Twitter Space hosted by Parallel Facts on June 30, 2025, Obi argued that any southern candidate elected president in 2027 should be prepared to hand over power on May 28, 2031, in line with Nigeria’s zoning arrangement and the informal power-sharing understanding between the North and the South.

He said the zoning principle, which rotates the presidency between both regions, remains a political arrangement he has consistently supported over the years.

In a post shared on his official X account in August last year, Obi defended his one-term position, saying impactful leadership is measured more by achievements than by years spent in office.

Referencing global leaders, he noted that Abraham Lincoln served only four years yet left a lasting legacy, while John F. Kennedy continued to inspire generations despite not completing a full term.

He also cited Nelson Mandela, who chose to leave office after one term in South Africa despite public calls for him to remain in power.

READ ALSO: Nigeria has moved from padded budgets to forged tax laws – Peter Obi

According to Obi, Mandela’s decision reflected leadership that prioritised service over personal ambition. He added that prolonged stays in office have historically contributed to the corruption of many African leaders.

Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso later exited the ADC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on May 3.

Days later, on May 9, the NDC announced that its presidential ticket for the 2027 election would be zoned to southern Nigeria, the region Obi comes from.