My Vow to Serve Only One Term of Dour Years is a Solemn Commitment – Peter Obi.
What does it really take to fix a broken system and for how long? For Peter Obi, four years is enough to fix Nigeria if the leader is focused, honest, and committed to change.
In what many see as a direct response to Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo’s recent jab, Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, doubled down on his earlier vow to serve only one term of four years if elected president in 2027.
Governor Soludo had openly mocked the one-term pledge during a public appearance, suggesting that anyone who says such a thing should undergo psychiatric evaluation. But Obi, in a composed yet firm tweet posted to his verified X handle, made it clear he wasn’t bluffing, and he didn’t need a shrine or psychiatrist to stand by his word.
Referencing historical figures like Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela, Obi pointed out that the greatness of leadership isn’t measured by time in office but by impact. He described Mandela’s choice to serve only one term as a deliberate and courageous act that showed power must serve the people, not the other way around.
“When life gives you the opportunity to lead,” Obi wrote, “the job isn’t to cling to power, it’s to deliver results. And yes, I still believe Nigeria can experience meaningful reform in four years.”
Citing the erosion of trust in Nigeria’s political space, Obi acknowledged public scepticism around political promises but argued that his own track record sets him apart. He recalled how, during his tenure as governor of Anambra State, he made measurable promises around education, healthcare, rural infrastructure, and fiscal transparency, and fulfilled them without deviation.
“I did not swear by a shrine. I have not been declared mentally unstable for keeping my word. I simply did what I said I would do,” he wrote.
Obi’s words appear carefully crafted, not as a rebuttal to Soludo, but as a broader message to a nation desperate for integrity in public leadership. He insisted that 48 months is enough to drive real reforms, pledging to focus on sanitising governance, fighting corruption, tackling insecurity, and building up education, healthcare, and small businesses.
He also outlined a vision to transform Nigeria from a consuming nation to a productive one, leveraging agriculture, manufacturing, and technology as key pillars.
“These are not utopian dreams. They are realistic, actionable goals,” Obi stated.
Meanwhile, the question of Obi’s political home remains slightly uncertain. Though still aligned with the Labour Party, insiders within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) confirmed to Vanguard that Obi has not officially joined their party, despite his visible involvement in the ADC-led coalition.
According to an ADC source in Abuja, the party has granted Obi and other key figures like former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai a special waiver, allowing them to retain their existing party affiliations while supporting the coalition’s broader mission of building a united opposition.
This strategy, the source explained, gives Obi the flexibility to support Labour Party candidates in important elections, such as the upcoming Anambra gubernatorial race, while playing a key role in shaping a stronger coalition to challenge the ruling party in 2027.
“Right now, it’s all about strategy,” the source said. “Once those elections are over, everyone will sit down and decide: does Obi fully join the ADC, or continue working within the broader alliance?”
One term. Four years. That’s the promise. And if Obi sticks to it, he may be remembered not in history as a leader who kept his word when it mattered most.
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