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By Oscar Okhifo
The one-term presidency pledge by former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, has sparked fresh debate ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the Presidency and a veteran journalist questioning the credibility and practicality of the promise.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday dismissed Obi’s assurance that he would serve only one four-year term if elected president, urging Nigerians not to take the pledge seriously.
Onanuga made the remarks in a post on X while reacting to Obi’s repeated insistence during a television interview that he would leave office after one term if elected president in 2027, a position he linked to fairness and zoning considerations.
The presidential aide argued that Obi’s political history reflects shifting commitments across different political platforms, including the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), insisting that such promises should not be taken at face value.
Obi had said during the interview: “I will not stay a day longer, even with a gun to my head.”
“If you believe Peter Obi’s promise to serve only one term as president, you’ll believe anything,” Onanuga wrote on X.
“Peter Obi has changed political platforms and positions several times. Nigerians should not take such promises seriously,” he added.
Onanuga maintained that Obi’s past political actions show inconsistency, insisting that his pledges “cannot be trusted.”
Some Nigerians have also alleged that Obi had promised the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu he would never leave the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), a commitment many supporters of the late statesman reportedly believed he held strongly until his death.
Obi, however, later defected to the PDP after completing his tenure as governor of Anambra State. Although he has never publicly confirmed making such a promise to Ojukwu.
Political observers say the allegation, whether true or not, may further fuel skepticism among some Nigerians over Obi’s latest pledge to serve only one term if elected president in 2027.
Adding to the debate, veteran journalist and co-anchor of Political Platform on Raypower FM, Mustapha Mohammed, also questioned the practicality of Obi’s pledge, saying it would be difficult for any sitting president to voluntarily step down after only one term in office.
“Power is intoxicating. It is difficult for any sitting president to willingly walk away after one term,” Mohammed said during the programme.
He added that political promises made before elections often change once politicians assume office and begin to face pressure from supporters and political stakeholders.
“We have heard similar promises in the past. Once incumbency sets in, the calculations usually change,” he added.
Mohammed further described such commitments as political rhetoric rather than binding undertakings, pointing to past similar statements by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, which he said were widely dismissed by Nigerians at the time.
The development adds to growing political discussions ahead of the 2027 general elections, as major political figures continue positioning themselves for the race.