The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has dismissed the one-term presidency pledge made by Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), describing the promise as unnecessary, undemocratic, and inconsistent with democratic principles.
The Northern socio-political group also expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, characterising its three-year record in office as “shambolic.”
Peter Obi recently stated that, if elected president in 2027, he would serve only one four-year term, arguing that four years is sufficient for a committed leader to implement meaningful reforms. During a television interview, the former Anambra State governor further pledged to hand over power to the North after his tenure.
Reacting to the development, ACF National Secretary, Tukur Baba, said such a commitment was unnecessary and should not form part of any political campaign.
According to Baba, the rotation of presidential power between regions is not a constitutional requirement but rather an arrangement determined by political parties. He argued that enforcing regional power-sharing could weaken democratic ideals and further divide the country.
He maintained that democracy should allow citizens to freely choose their leaders without restrictions based on geography, ethnicity, or religion. Baba warned that continued emphasis on power rotation could encourage demands for leadership based on religious or ethnic considerations, thereby deepening national divisions.
Questioning the practicality of Obi’s pledge, Baba noted that if a president performs exceptionally well during a first term, Nigerians should have the opportunity to re-elect that individual regardless of any prior campaign promise.
He argued that governance should be judged by performance rather than regional arrangements, stressing that Nigerians are more concerned with issues such as security, education, healthcare, accountability, and anti-corruption efforts.
Baba further stated that if a future Obi administration were to achieve significant progress in tackling insecurity, including banditry, Boko Haram insurgency, and other security challenges, it would be unfair to deny voters the option of granting him a second term.
Concluding his remarks, the ACF secretary described the one-term pledge and promise of regional power transfer as politically irresponsible, insisting that the primary focus of any leader should be delivering good governance and improving the welfare of citizens.
