KADUNA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s presidential hopeful for the National Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, reiterated on May 17, 2026, a promise to serve only one four-year term if elected president of Nigeria in the 2027 general election.
Okay News reports that Peter Obi made the commitment following the decision by the National Democratic Congress to zone its presidential ticket to the southern region and its vice-presidential slot to the northern region.
The candidate stated he would honor the single term arrangement “even at gun point” to maintain the rotational balance of power between the north and south. He made the pledge after moving to the party from the African Democratic Congress. Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, is expected to serve as the vice-presidential candidate on the ticket.
Political stakeholders across Northern Nigeria have expressed conflicting views regarding the enforceability of the verbal agreement. Murtala Abubakar, a political analyst and youth leader, described the pledge as “a political gimmick designed to secure electoral sympathy.” Abubakar stated that the Nigerian constitution allows a president to seek a second term and said, “What we seek is not a temporary placeholder arrangement, but leadership that respects fairness and demonstrates genuine commitment to power rotation,”
The National President of the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria, Isah Abubakar, said many in the region remain cautious due to the political transition following the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2010. He noted that once an individual is sworn into office, constitutional rights and pressure from political interests often supersede campaign assurances. Isah Abubakar said the major weakness of the proposal lies in the contradiction between constitutional reality and verbal political promises.
A member of the All Progressives Congress, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed the proposal and stated that the constitution precedes all other promises. Bala Ibrahim said that political advisers could eventually persuade a president to exercise the legal right to seek re-election. He added that the ruling party is not threatened by the political activities of Peter Obi but considers it necessary to alert voters against possible political deception.
The Kano State coordinator of Kwankwasiyya Diaspora, Dr. Muhammad Hamisu, expressed confidence in the commitment. Hamisu said, “We Northerners believe in his promise to serve only one term. We remain optimistic because we believe Peter Obi is a man of integrity who will keep his promise. We firmly believe that progress and prosperity can only thrive where there is justice, fairness, unity and inclusion, values that a Peter Obi and Kwankwaso ticket represents,”
The Chairman of Northern Star Youths Employment Initiative and National President of APC 19 Northern States Support Groups, Dr. Maina Gimba, said northern political actors are studying the motives behind the move before making firm commitments.
