KEY POINTS
- Peter Obi calls for a five-year presidential term.
- He vows to serve only one term if elected.
- Stronger political parties should outlast their leaders.
Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential flagbearer in Nigeria’s 2023 elections, says the country should ditch the two-term presidency in favor of a single five-year tenure.
Speaking in Bauchi on Friday after a courtesy visit to Governor Bala Mohammed, Obi argued that extending the presidential term from four to five years—and eliminating re-election bids—would allow leaders to focus solely on governance.
Five-year presidential term, no re-election
“I’ve said it before, and I want to say it again here: if I have the opportunity, we should stop having a second tenure for president,” Obi told reporters. “It should be five years straight so that people come in knowing they have a job to do. Currently, people spend the first year in office and the rest thinking about the next election. We must stop it.”
The former Anambra State governor, who has signaled plans to contest again in 2027, vowed that if elected, he would serve only one term—and not “a day longer than four years,” even under the current system.
Political parties must be stronger than leaders
Obi also stressed the need for stronger political institutions. He said parties should be bigger than elected officials to prevent over-centralized power.
“I want the party to be bigger than the president and governors so that we can have orderliness,” he said.
Governor Mohammed responded by inviting Obi to return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claiming that’s “where he belongs.” Mohammed added that Nigerian politics should be free of ego, personal rivalries, and narrow interests.
Opposition unity ahead of 2027 elections
The Bauchi governor urged all opposition parties to work together in the interest of the country, hinting at emerging political alignments before the next general elections. “We want you to be in the PDP—there are plans, desires, and strategies,” Mohammed said.
While Obi has not publicly committed to rejoining the PDP, his call for a single-term presidency is likely to stir debate within Nigeria’s political class, where incumbency often shapes electoral outcomes.
