‘Even At Gunpoint, I’ll Leave After Four Years’ – Peter Obi Reaffirms One-Term Presidency Pledge

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has reaffirmed his commitment to serving only one term if elected president of Nigeria.

Speaking during an interview scheduled to air on News Central TV on Thursday, Obi stated that he would not remain in office beyond four years under any circumstance.

“I want to be a one-term president because of stability. I would not stay a day longer than four years, even with a gun to my head,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor also criticised the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, citing increased borrowing, rising cost of living, and worsening economic hardship across the country.

Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election behind Tinubu and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has repeatedly maintained his one-term stance since joining the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in 2025.

During a Twitter Space hosted by Parallel Facts on June 30, 2025, Obi argued that any southern candidate elected president in 2027 should leave office by May 28, 2031, in line with Nigeria’s zoning arrangement and the principle of power rotation between the North and South.

He stressed that the zoning principle remains essential for national unity and political balance.

In an earlier post on his official X page, Obi noted that impactful leadership is measured by legacy and service rather than the length of time spent in office.

Referencing global leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela, Obi said effective leadership is defined by meaningful contributions to society.

He particularly praised Mandela for voluntarily serving only one term as president of South Africa despite calls for him to continue in office, describing it as an example of leadership rooted in service rather than personal ambition.

Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso recently joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), which has announced plans to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the southern region of the country.