Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), Yabagi Sani, has expressed doubts over the credibility of Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who recently pledged to serve only one term if elected in 2027.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, Sani said it would be difficult for many, particularly in Northern Nigeria, to take Obi’s four-year term promise seriously. He argued that the dynamics of power often change once politicians assume office, noting that even those with good intentions have historically succumbed to the allure of extended rule.
Obi, during a live session on X Space with supporters on Sunday, stated that he would serve a single four-year term if elected president in 2027.
Reacting to the pledge, Sani said, “Yes, Mr Peter Obi can agree to say ‘I am going to do one term’ but the northerners will tell you that after Bola Tinubu’s term, if he gets the (second) election, it should come to the North.”
He added that power rotation remains a key consideration in Nigeria’s political balance, arguing that after the South’s expected eight-year hold on the presidency, the North should naturally be next in line.
“But we are human beings. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Peter Obi is not a saint; he is not somebody who is from another planet. We have seen successive governments trying to see how they can turn the constitution around and give themselves a third term and things like that,” Sani said.
He further questioned the feasibility of Obi successfully completing a one-term presidency given what he described as entrenched political sentiments, state capture, and the realities of incumbency.
Sani concluded that while the idea of a one-term presidency might be noble, it faces significant skepticism in the current political climate, especially among regions prioritizing political equity and power rotation.
