Former Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), Yabagi Sani, has expressed skepticism over the recent proposal by Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, to serve only a single term if elected president in 2027.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, Sani said Obi’s pledge is difficult to accept, especially in the northern region of Nigeria, which he argues believes power should return to the North after President Bola Tinubu’s tenure.
“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,”
Sani said.
Peter Obi, who served as governor of Anambra State, made headlines on Sunday during an X Space session with his supporters when he reiterated that if elected president in 2027, he would honor a four-year, single-term agreement.
However, Sani questioned the practicality of that pledge, pointing out that political dynamics change significantly once candidates assume office.
“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.”
According to Sani, despite Obi’s promises, it is natural for public skepticism to grow, especially in a political environment where incumbents often seek to extend their stay in power by any means.
“This is why it would be difficult for a lot of people to believe Mr Peter Obi that after one term, he would leave. And then how would he even succeed if you look at the sentimental aspect of it, the state capture, and power of incumbency.”
Sani’s remarks also come at a time when Nigeria’s political space is already heating up ahead of the 2027 general elections.
President Bola Tinubu, who hails from the South-West, is expected to complete his first term by May 2027 and is widely anticipated to seek re-election under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sani emphasized that based on the principle of rotational power—a long-standing but informal political understanding—many northerners believe the next presidency should return to their region.
