Politics

Peter Obi’s One-Term Promise Won’t Convince the North – Yabagi Sani

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 6th, 2025.

Peter Obi’s One-Term Promise Won’t Convince the North – Yabagi Sani

Peter Obi

Obi’s One-Term Promise Unlikely to Sway Northern Voters – Former IPAC Chair

Yabagi Sani, former Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has expressed doubt over the appeal of Peter Obi’s recent proposal to serve only one term if elected president in 2027, especially among voters in Northern Nigeria.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television on Monday, Sani argued that the North prioritizes power rotation based on equity and regional balance rather than political gestures.

“Peter Obi may say he’ll only serve four years, but northern Nigerians will still ask: why should the presidency remain in the South after Tinubu?” Sani remarked.

Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, made headlines over the weekend during an X (formerly Twitter) Space session, where he stated his willingness to run for a single term if it aligns with the zoning agreement within his coalition.

However, Sani dismissed the idea as unlikely to resonate in the North, where the informal understanding of alternating presidential power between the North and South still carries significant weight.

“With Tinubu, a Southerner, expected to run again, the logic of giving another Southerner—even for just one term—the presidency doesn’t sit well politically,” he explained.

Sani also cast doubt on the credibility of one-term pledges, pointing to past presidents who came into office with reformist agendas but later sought to extend their tenure.

“We’ve seen leaders promise change, only to get consumed by the system once in power. Peter Obi is not above that risk—he’s human like everyone else,” he said.

He concluded that Obi’s one-term offer might be viewed by many as a political tactic rather than a trustworthy commitment, adding, “It sounds good, but it’s not something most people will take seriously.”