Ime Akpan
The 1999 constitution (as amended) stipulates a two-term limit for the president and governors, limiting them to a maximum of two four-year terms. Since the fourth republic berthed in 1999, every elected president and governor wants to play for 90 minutes. One president even attempted to add extra time after serving out his constitutionally-guaranteed eight-year term.
With less than two years to the 2027 general elections, politicking has started with potential aspirants using political maneuvring to prepare the minds of the electorate.
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in2023, Mr Peter Obi has used the strategy to stir the hornet’s nest with the promise to serve only one term if elected in 2027.
The governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, had earlier cast doubt on Obi’s one-term presidency campaign.
Soludo said politician making such a promise should be sent for psychiatric evaluation.
Speaking at a political rally in Anambra South, Soludo remarked: “How can anybody with a functioning brain say that? Do you think you’re speaking to fools? You come to people and say you 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.”
He contended that the Nigerian Constitution provides for renewable four-year tenure and questioned the wisdom of any politician voluntarily limiting themselves to a single term.
Announcing his one-term ‘campaign’ via his verified X handle @PeterObi, in apparent reaction of Soludo’s remarks, Obi, who had also served as the governor of Anambra State, described his one-term promise as “sacrosanct.”
He likened his decision to that of three global leaders – America’s Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy and South Africa’s Nelson Mandela – who served for one term and left indelible marks.
“One of the greatest American Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, served only four years, yet his legacy endures as a model of principled leadership.
‘Another iconic figure, John F. Kennedy, did not even complete a full term, yet his vision and ideals continue to inspire generations.
“In Africa, Nelson Mandela, revered globally as a symbol of justice and reconciliation, chose to serve only one term as President of South Africa, despite immense public pressure to stay longer,” he said.
He said Madela’s decision was ‘a deliberate act of leadership, a statement that power must serve the people, not the self.”
He said history shows that the longer many African leaders remain in power, the more likely they are to be corrupted by it.
‘Longevity in office is not a mark of success; rather, it is purposeful, accountable service – however brief – that defines true statesmanship.
“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
I am fully aware that the decay in our society has made trust one of the scarcest and most sceptically viewed commodities. Many Nigerians, understandably, no longer take politicians at their word. But even in this climate of cynicism, there are still a few whose actions have matched their words – whose integrity is built on verifiable precedent.
Apparently responding to Soludo’s and another person’s skepticism aimed, albeit indirectly, at his single four-year term vow, Obi said they based their judgement on their own standards – where political promises are made to be broken.
“One person remarked that even if I swore by a shrine, I still wouldn’t be believed. Another suggested that anyone talking about doing only one term should undergo psychiatric evaluation.
“I understand the basis of their scepticism. But they forget, or perhaps choose to ignore, that Peter Obi is not cut from that cloth. I have a verifiable track record that speaks louder than speculation.
“In my political life, my word is my bond. When I entered politics in Anambra State, I made clear and measurable promises to the people: to improve education and healthcare, to open up rural areas through road construction, and to manage public funds with prudence. I fulfilled each of those promises without deviation. I did not swear by a shrine, nor have I been certified mentally unstable as a result of honouring my word,” he said.
Obi reiterated that “my vow to serve only one term of four years is a solemn commitment, rooted in my conviction that purposeful, transparent leadership does not require an eternity.”
He added: “If making such a promise qualifies me for psychiatric evaluation, then we may as well question the mental fitness of those who framed our Constitution, which clearly stipulates a four-year renewable tenure.
“I maintain without equivocation: if elected, I will not spend a day longer than four years in office. In fact, I believe that service should be impactful, not eternal.
“We must rebuild trust in our country. I have dedicated my public life to demonstrating that leadership with integrity is not a myth. I have done it before, and I do not intend to betray that trust under any circumstances.
“Forty-eight months is enough for any leader who is focused and prepared to make a meaningful difference. In that time, I intend not merely to make an impression, but to deliver on concrete promises to: sanitise our governance system; tackle insecurity through effective and accountable use of national resources; prioritise education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation; catalyse small businesses as engines of growth; and combat corruption with unflinching resolve.
“Above all, I will dedicate myself to transforming Nigeria from a consuming nation into a productive one, where agriculture, technology, and manufacturing replace rent-seeking and waste as our national anchors.
“These are not utopian dreams. They are realistic, actionable goals that are achievable within four years.”
In his reaction, presidential spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga said in a statement entitled ‘Peter Obi and his wrong examples’ said Obi’s references were inaccurate and historically misleading.
Taking to his X post, Onanuga said a simple fact-check by Obi would have revealed that none of the leaders he cited served only one term by choice or under similar circumstances.
“Lincoln, at the time he was assassinated, had finished his first term, had won re-election, and had been sworn in for a second term,” Onanuga said.
He said the American president began his first term on March 4, 1861, won re-election in November 1864 and inaugurated for a second term on March 4, 1865 before his assassination on April 15 of that year.
He also noted that JFK, another American president Obi referenced, did not complete even a single term.
“John F. Kennedy came into office on January 20, 1960, and was assassinated on November 22, 1963, before the end of his first term,” Onanuga added.
While acknowledging that Mandela indeed served only one term, Onanuga argued that the South African icon declined a second term due to his age, not as a campaign commitment.
“Mandela’s example might be more appropriately recommended to Obi’s rival for the opposition ticket, who will turn 81 by 2027,” he stated.
In another post entitled ‘Peter Obi, the liar is exposed again’, the presidential spokesman said “you’re neither a Mandela nor a Lincoln or a Kennedy.”
He also said Obi had failed to walk the talk of his promises in the past and should, therefore, not be taken seriously with his one-term gambit.
“You sound as if you have never held an elected office before. You sought re-election as Anambra Governor in 2010, and narrowly won courtesy of a divided opposition. Why didn’t you walk away after only one term in office? Meanwhile after serving two terms, did Anambra look like a state that has been transformed? If you couldn’t transform a small Anambra after 8 years is there a guarantee that you’ll do anything significant under 4 years as President of a complex and complicated Nigeria?
“You talk about keeping your promises or your vow being your bond, but you and I know that’s not true. You have broken previous promises and usually lie with reckless abandon, sometimes needlessly. For example, you said you won’t leave APGA but you left (the reason for your exit is immaterial because if we’re to make allowance for excuses, you’ll definitely have an excuse to break your one-term vow). You talk about trust, but how do you expect people to trust someone who can’t keep a simple promise not to leave a political party?” Onanuga said in his X post.
Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana weighed in on the matter saying it is not enough for any politician to state how long they want to stay in office considering the enormity of Nigeria’s problems.
Speaking on Arise News, Falana remarked: “Another problem confronting Nigeria as a nation, it is not just enough to say I will be in power for your years. I will be in power for eight years, what do you want to do there?” he said.
He called on the federal government to focus on governance and involve the people in their policies.
“As for those who are in power, you have a greater responsibility to concentrate on governance and consult with the people with respect to your policies, so that nobody wakes up one day and say I am going to rename the streets,” he said.
