Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential flagbearer in Nigeria’s 2023 general election, has restated his commitment to serving a single four-year term if given the opportunity to lead the country.
The former Anambra State governor had initially made the one-term pledge during a widely followed live discussion on X (formerly Twitter) in June, during a session titled #PeterObiOnParallelFacts, which drew significant public engagement.
His renewed declaration, shared via his official X account on Sunday, comes amid ongoing public debate. While some of his supporters see the promise as a bold commitment to accountability and focus, others remain doubtful about whether such a vow would hold under the realities of power.
Obi maintains that the one-term promise is central to his leadership vision, positioning it as a way to deliver results with urgency and avoid political distractions tied to re-election ambitions.
“In my political life, my word is my bond…My vow to serve only one term of four years is a solemn commitment, rooted in my conviction that purposeful, transparent leadership does not require an eternity,” he said.
He argued that longevity in office is not a mark of success, asserting that it is purposeful, accountable service, even if brief, that defines true statesmanship.
According to him, history has shown that the longer many African leaders remain in power, the more likely they are to be corrupted by it.
To support his position, Obi cited Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela as examples of leaders who left enduring legacies without serving two terms.
The current governor of Obi’s home state, Chukwuma Soludo, recently questioned the rationale behind vows by some politicians to serve only one term, saying such “needs psychiatric examination.”
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In response, however, Obi said that those doubting his one-term vow are merely judging him by their own standards.
“Recently, I became aware of two statements aimed, albeit indirectly, at my vow to serve only a single four-year term. One person remarked that even if I swore by a shrine, I still wouldn’t be believed. Another suggested that anyone talking about doing only one term should undergo psychiatric evaluation.
“I understand the basis of their scepticism. They are judging me by their own standards – where political promises are made to be broken. But they forget, or perhaps choose to ignore, that Peter Obi is not cut from that cloth. I have a verifiable track record that speaks louder than speculation.
“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 reiterated his vow to serve just one term if elected, framing it not as a limitation but as a philosophy of purpose. In his view, leadership should be defined by the depth of its impact, not the length of its tenure. “Service,” he emphasized, “should be impactful, not eternal.”