Just In: Tinubu’s Camp Reacts as Obi Gives Reason for One-Term Presidency Vow ahead of 2027 election
- The presidency has criticised former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over his pledge to serve only one term if elected president, saying his political history shows inconsistency
- Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga dismissed the promise, insisting that Obi’s past political decisions show a pattern of broken loyalty
- Obi recently joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and could potentially run alongside Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, May 14, criticised Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra, over his constant vow to serve only one four-year term if elected President of Nigeria.
Speaking in a video interview with News Central, Obi, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), had said he would fulfil his promise of a one-term presidency if elected to power for the sake os stability.
Source: Facebook
Peter Obi restates one-term vow
Asked why he would opt for a single term despite being legally entitled to two four-year terms, Obi responded:
"For stability. Even with a gun in my head, I would not stay a day longer than four years."
Criticising the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of President Tinubu, the Obidient Movement convener condemned the Nigerian leader's borrowing policy, warning that debt used to fund consumption rather than production is damaging the country’s economic future. According to him, the ruling administration "failed in everything."
He said:
"What we have now is only two years that somebody used to borrow more than all the previous governments put together. It is only two years that Nigeria (sic) have entered into the hungriest countries of the world."
Continuing, Obi faulted Tinubu’s handling of the security challenges in the country.
He challenged the commander-in-chief to take a shift toward practical action amid the killings by gunmen.
Obi said:
"A president of Nigeria can stay in Abuja and 200 people die in Jos, or in Nigeria, or in Benue, and you are still sitting here."
He asked the president to go to the theatre of war, 'to know how to contribute'.
A promo clip of Obi’s interview can be watched below via X:
Presidency criticises Obi over one-term vow
But reacting, the Nigerian presidency, through Onanuga, flayed Obi, saying he is fond of making fake promises.
Onanuga tweeted via his verified handle:
"If you believe Peter Obi’s promise to serve only one term as president, you’ll believe anything.
"Consider his record: while in APGA, he famously placed himself under a self-curse, vowing never to leave the party that made him governor. He gave his word to the Ikemba (referring to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu), even on his deathbed, swearing loyalty and fidelity to APGA. Yet, Peter Obi’s pledges have always been short-lived. He ultimately abandoned APGA for the PDP, and since then, he has drifted from one political platform to another, a political rolling stone."
Source: Facebook
The presidential spokesman added:
"By his own actions, Peter Obi has shown that his word cannot be trusted. His promises are as fleeting as his political allegiances."
2027 election: Expert warns Nigerian politicians
Meanwhile, a public affairs analyst, Abdullahi Yelwa, has said the Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso calculation for a single term is a dangerous political narrative.
Buhari made this statement in an interview with Legit.ng.
He was speaking on the forthcoming 2027 elections and the alliance of the two former presidential candidates.
Yelwa said:
“The Obi-Kwankwaso calculation and the idea of four-year term as a placeholder for northern establishment after four years is dangerous.
“Why should you elect to go for only one term for such political correctness? The reason Obi is becoming this desperate and going for this political correctness is possibly because he sees the situation quite asphyxiated and no space for him to operate."
Read more on Peter Obi:
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- Did Kwankwaso agree to be Peter Obi’s running mate in 2027? Here is what we know
- How Tinubu allegedly made Peter Obi a very wealthy man, Reno Omokri speaks
Eliyah foresees Peter Obi landslide victory
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Rev. Solomon Emeka Eliyah prophesied that Nigerian presidential hopeful Obi would secure 70% of the total votes in the 2027 presidential election.
Eliyah also predicted that the election results would face legal challenges, stating that he saw the outcome being “announced in the court."
Source: Legit.ng
