Bauchi: Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) during the 2023 presidential election, has advocated for a 5-year single term for the President of Nigeria. Obi made this statement in Bauchi during a courtesy visit to Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Obi emphasized the need to eliminate the possibility of a second tenure for the President, suggesting instead a single five-year term akin to the system used in South Korea. He stated, “I’ve said it and I want to say it again in this government house that if I have the opportunity, we should stop having a second tenure for president. It should be five years straight, so that people can come in knowingly they have a job to do.”
Obi further explained his reasoning, noting that the current system allows presidents to focus on re-election efforts rather than governance. “What people do now is to be president for one year and use the rest of the years thinking about their next tenure. We must stop it, let’s face the real job, do your own and go,” he suggested.
Looking ahead to the 2027 presidential election, Obi declared that if elected, he would only serve a single term, pledging not to extend his stay beyond four years. He also promised to ensure the proper functioning of political parties in Nigeria, emphasizing the importance of political parties being larger than the individuals elected to office. “I want the party to be bigger than the president and the governors so that we can have orderliness,” he said.
In response, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State invited Obi to return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), asserting that it is where he belongs. Mohammed stated, “We want you to come back to PDP. Please come back because that is where you belong. We want you to be in PDP, there are plans, desires and strategies.”
Mohammed also addressed the broader political landscape in Nigeria, urging politicians to set aside ego, differences, and personal interests in favor of uniting opposition interests for the benefit of Nigerians.
