Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi has called for sweeping constitutional reforms to limit Nigeria’s presidency to a single five-year term, saying it would encourage leaders to focus on governance rather than re-election campaigns.
Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election, proposed during a courtesy visit to Governor Bala Mohammed at the Bauchi State Government House on Friday. He argued that the existing two-term system breeds complacency and distracts incumbents from delivering meaningful results.
‘Leaders Must Focus on the Job, Not the Next Election’
According to Obi, Nigeria could benefit from adopting the model used in South Korea, where presidents are constitutionally barred from seeking a second term.
“If I have the opportunity, we should stop having a second tenure for presidents. It should be five years,” Obi said. “That is what is in South Korea, so people come in and know that they have a job to do.”
The former Anambra State governor lamented that Nigerian leaders often dedicate only their first year to governance before shifting their attention to preparing for re-election.
“What people do now is to be president for one year and use the rest of the years thinking about the next tenure. Let’s stop it. Let’s face the real job,” he insisted.
A Standing One-Term Pledge
Obi’s comments are consistent with his previous public statements. On August 3, 2024, he reaffirmed his vow to serve only one term if elected president, a promise he first made in June during a widely attended #PeterObiOnParallelFacts X Space session.
The pledge, which sparked mixed reactions at the time, was reiterated in a post on his official X handle, where he declared:
“In my political life, my word is my bond… 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.”
Obi has argued that history shows prolonged stays in office often corrupt African leaders. He cited the examples of Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela, who left enduring legacies despite serving limited terms.
Mixed Reactions and Pushback
Not everyone agrees with Obi’s proposal. Chukwuma Soludo, the current governor of Anambra State and Obi’s political contemporary, recently ridiculed politicians who pledge to serve only one term, saying such individuals “need psychiatric examination.”
While Obi has not responded directly to Soludo’s remarks, his latest call in Bauchi underscores his determination to push for term-limit reform as part of Nigeria’s political discourse ahead of the 2027 general elections.
