Single Term Promise: Peter Obi is talking out of ignorance — Farouq Aliyu
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Farouq Aliyu, a former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, has described Peter Obi’s pledge to serve only one term if elected president in 2027 as “mere rhetoric” and a sign of ignorance about the complexities of governing Nigeria.
Speaking during an appearance on Prime Time, a programme on Arise Television on Wednesday, Aliyu criticised Obi’s one-term promise, suggesting the former Anambra State governor lacks the national governance experience necessary to make such commitments.
“Sometimes when you’re out of office or when you’re not in the place, you’d not know. To me, it’s just rhetoric, and he’s also trying to convince people,” Aliyu said.
He argued that governing a state is fundamentally different from leading a country as large and complex as Nigeria.
“Obi is talking out of ignorance. He doesn’t know. States are different from Nigeria. When you govern a small state, the horizon of a state governor is not as wide as the horizon of a president,” Aliyu stated.
Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, had recently reiterated his willingness to serve a single term if elected in 2027, saying he would use the opportunity to lay the foundation for a new Nigeria.
Aliyu also took a swipe at the opposition coalition, particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying that while the individuals involved are respected, they do not pose a serious threat to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We respect them; we admire them as Nigerian leaders, but honestly, they don’t threaten us. All of them are after us. So, we need to spread our tentacles to make sure we pour sand inside their gàárì,” he said, using a Nigerian idiom implying disruption of their plans.
While acknowledging that some opposition figures offer constructive criticism, Aliyu maintained that their coalition is too fragmented to challenge the APC’s dominance ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Whether they are going to give us a run for our money, I don’t think so. It is a conglomeration of presidential candidates. Virtually all leaders of that group want to be president; unfortunately for them, only one person can be president,” he added.
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