Kenneth Okonkwo, a member of the opposition coalition, says Peter Obi’s vow to serve only one term if elected President is a calculated political move designed to appeal to voters in Nigeria’s northern region.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Okonkwo revealed that Obi’s proposal wasn’t just a matter of personal principle but a strategy to prevent alienating the North during election season.
“It’s a political strategy,” Okonkwo stated. “Peter Obi knew that without such a promise, he risked losing northern support.”
He explained that the idea was first floated by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who also promised to serve only one term.
Obi, being younger and positioning himself as a reform candidate, reportedly embraced the concept to present a balanced, inclusive vision for the country.
“The goal is to assure both northern and southern Nigerians that no region will be shortchanged. If a southern candidate insists on two terms, the North might feel excluded — and vice versa,” Okonkwo said.
According to the lawyer and politician, defeating an incumbent president requires a unified front and compromises like a one-term presidency to foster trust and fairness among Nigeria’s diverse regions.
“Any party serious about unseating an incumbent must ensure their candidate pledges just one term. That way, every region feels represented and not left out of the political equation,” he added.
Obi’s Position on Governance and Tenure
Peter Obi, who ran as the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 general election, has consistently maintained that four years is sufficient to implement meaningful reforms. In a July 2025 appearance on Sunday Politics, he insisted that a single term would be enough to show Nigerians the “direction of good governance.”
“I don’t need more than four years,” Obi said. “The damage done in two years can be reversed in another two. People want leadership that is empathetic and responsive.”
Obi has also advocated for a constitutional amendment to limit Nigerian presidents to a single five-year term, mirroring the system used in countries like South Korea.
During a visit to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed in August, he reiterated this view.
“We should end the era of second terms,” Obi said.
“With a single five-year term, a president knows there’s no time to waste and gets straight to work.”
