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THE former Southeast Campaign Spokesman of President Bola Tinubu, Dr. Josef Onoh, has countered the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi’s insistence on serving only one term if elected as President in 2027.
Onoh said that Obi’s claim is rhetorically appealing but fundamentally impracticable and a questionable promise that fails to withstand scrutiny.
Onoh stated that while Obi frames his vow as a selfless act of principled leadership, it is a calculated political maneuver that undermines democratic process, ignores constitutional realities, and lacks a verifiable basis for trust.
“We all know that the Nigerian Constitution explicitly allows for a President to serve two terms of four years each, as outlined in Section 137(1)(b).
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This provision reflects the democratic principle that leaders should have sufficient time to implement their vision while remaining accountable to the electorate.
“Obi’s vow to limit himself to one term preemptively dismisses the will of the people, who may wish to reelect him if satisfied with his performance. By rejecting this possibility outright, Obi undermines the democratic process and assumes Nigerians cannot be trusted to make informed decisions about their leadership,” Onoh said.
He maintained that Peter Obi’s stance raises questions about his commitment to democratic principles, as it prioritizes personal conviction over the constitutional framework, and faulted Obi’s historical examples of Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and Nelson Mandela as misapplied, misleading and contextual irrelevant examples to bolster his case.
“May I educate Peter Obi on political history. Lincoln and Kennedy operated in a different political systems with no constitutional term limits at the time, and their legacies were shaped by extraordinary circumstances, not a deliberate choice to serve one term.
“Mandela’s decision to serve one term was unique to South Africa’s post-apartheid transition, where he prioritized national reconciliation and institutional stability over personal ambition. Nigeria’s current challenges—economic instability, insecurity, and systemic corruption—require sustained leadership over a longer period to achieve meaningful reform. Obi’s comparison to these figures is a rhetorical flourish that ignores Nigeria’s distinct context and the complexity of its governance challenges.”
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In the issue of Obi’s track record of political expediency, Onoh noted that while Obi claims his that “word is his bond,” his political history suggests otherwise.
“He never kept his word to my late brother-in-law Dim. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and I recall pointing it out on different occasions. During his tenure as Anambra State governor, Obi was known for strategic political maneuvers, including switching parties (from APGA to PDP) to further his ambitions.
“His promise to serve only one term, conveniently aligns with the current political climate, where coalition-building among opposition parties requires compromises to gain support. This vow appears less like a principled stand and more like a tactical move to assuage coalition partners wary of his long-term dominance.”
Onoh went further to remind Obi that he probably has forgotten that Nigerians have seen similar promises from politicians such as pledges of transparency or economic reform that dissolve once power is secured, warming that Obi’s claim lacks a binding mechanism to make it unenforceable, hence it’s unreliable.
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He said that Obi’s assertion that four years is sufficient to achieve transformative goals such as sanitizing governance, tackling insecurity, prioritizing education and healthcare, and transforming Nigeria into a productive economy clearly demonstrates that Obi takes Nigerians as fools because it has an unrealistic timeline for the transformation and is overtly optimistic and borders on populist rhetoric.
“Nigeria’s systemic issues, including entrenched corruption, a bloated bureaucracy, and infrastructural deficits, require sustained effort beyond a single term. For instance, the fight against corruption under previous administrations, such as Muhammadu Buhari’s, showed that even eight years was insufficient to dismantle deeply rooted systems.
“I recall Obi’s own tenure as Anambra governor, while commendable in some areas, it did not achieve transformative change in eight years, raising doubts about his ability to deliver on such ambitious promises in half that time.
“I’m glad Obi acknowledged the ‘decay of trust’ in Nigerian politics but contributed to it by making a promise that is difficult to verify or enforce. His claim that his vow is ‘sacrosanct’ is undermined by the absence of a concrete mechanism to ensure compliance. Without a legal or institutional framework to hold him accountable, his pledge is merely aspirational and risks being perceived as populist grandstanding.
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“Furthermore, his dismissal of critics like Governor Soludo who rightly questions the logic of such a promise—as skeptics judging him by their own standards is disingenuous. Soludo’s critique is rooted in practical governance concerns, not personal bias, and reflects the skepticism of many Nigerians who have endured broken promises from politicians. If Obi’s doubts my submissions, I challenge him to go and verify!
“May I remind Peter Obi that Nigeria’s political history demonstrates that impactful governance often requires continuity. I’ve been active in politics enough to have witnessed leaders such as Olusegun Obasanjo, who served two terms, were able to lay foundational reforms (e.g., telecommunications and debt relief) that required time to mature.
I laugh at Obi’s single-term vow because it ignores this reality and assumes that four years is sufficient to address Nigeria’s multifaceted challenges. His reference to ‘verifiable precedent’ from his Anambra tenure is selective; while he made strides in education and healthcare, issues like infrastructure deficits and unemployment persisted and clearly demonstrated that even eight years was insufficient for comprehensive transformation.”
In Defense of Governor Soludo’s call for a “psychiatric evaluation” of politicians promising one term, Onoh said that Soludo’s opinion is a rhetorical jab, but underscores a valid point.
“Such a pledge defies the practical realities of leadership. Governance is not a sprint but a marathon, requiring long-term planning and execution. Obi’s insistence on a single term, in my opinion, suggests either a lack of confidence in his ability to sustain impactful leadership or an unrealistic belief that Nigeria’s problems can be solved in four years. Both possibilities raise concerns about his judgment and preparedness for the presidency hence I dare him to go and verify!
“Finally, I’ve taken time to respectfully address Peter Obi’s vow to serve only one term without projecting the administration of President Bola Tinubu which currently needs to put it’s affairs in order, reshuffle his cabinet and bring meaningful reforms, work hard to gain trust amongst Nigerians especially the North and South East regions who now see his administration as an ethnic calibrated and focused government with the highest poor reward system on one hand.
“While Obi’s claim on the other hand is a well-intentioned but flawed promise that fails to account for Nigeria’s constitutional framework, governance realities, and historical context; It risks undermining democratic principles, relies on misapplied historical analogies, and lacks a credible enforcement mechanism.
“While Obi’s track record as a prudent governor, who wore only one wrist watch lends some weight to his claims, his political history and the complexity of Nigeria’s challenges cast doubt on the feasibility and sincerity of his pledge. Nigerians deserve leaders who respect the constitutional process, commit to sustained reform, and prioritize accountability over populist rhetoric.
Personally, Obi’s single-term vow, far from inspiring trust, invites skepticism and warrants the scrutiny it has received from me and if anyone is in doubt of all I’ve said, feel free to go and verify!”
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