Peter Obi is once again promising to serve only a single term if elected president — and this time, he’s turning to history’s most iconic leaders to back his case.
In a statement shared via his official X account on Sunday, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate said impactful leadership doesn’t depend on how long a leader stays in power. What matters, he said, is what they do with the time they’re given.
“One of the greatest American presidents, Abraham Lincoln, served only four years, yet his legacy endures,” Obi said. “John F. Kennedy did not complete a full term, but his ideals still inspire. In Africa, Nelson Mandela chose to serve only one term, despite immense pressure to stay longer.”
“Mandela’s choice to step down wasn’t out of compulsion. It was leadership by example,” he wrote. “Power must serve the people, not the self.”
Obi said his vow is not just a campaign line — it’s a “sacrosanct” commitment.
“If elected in 2027, I will not spend one day beyond four years in office. That vow remains firm.”
Obi’s renewed statement came in response to critics who questioned the seriousness of his one-term pledge.
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“One person said even if I swore by a shrine, I wouldn’t be believed. Another suggested anyone making such a vow should undergo psychiatric evaluation,” he said.
But Obi insisted that the mockery reflects a wider breakdown in trust, not just personal doubt.
“They are judging me by their own standards — where political promises are made to be broken,” he said. “But I am not cut from that cloth.”
He pointed to his record as governor of Anambra State, where he claims he kept all major promises on education, healthcare, and fiscal discipline.
“I fulfilled each of those promises without deviation,” he said. “I didn’t need a shrine, and I didn’t need to prove my sanity to keep my word.”
Obi also argued that the constitution allows, but does not require, a second term — and choosing to forgo it should not be treated as political heresy.
“If making such a promise qualifies me for psychiatric evaluation, then we may as well question the mental fitness of those who framed our constitution, which clearly stipulates a four-year renewable tenure,” he said.
“Forty-eight months is enough for any leader who is focused and prepared. We must rebuild trust in this country, and that begins with honouring our words.”
