Peter Obi Proposes Single 5-Year Presidential Term, Pledges One-Term Limit if Elected

Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi has called for a constitutional reform to introduce a single, non-renewable five-year term for Nigeria’s president, arguing that it would improve governance and reduce distractions caused by re-election politics.

Obi made the proposal on Friday during a courtesy visit to Governor Bala Mohammed at the Bauchi State Government House.

“I’ve said it before, and I want to repeat it here: there should be no second tenure for any president,” Obi declared. “It should be a five-year single term, just like in South Korea. That way, leaders come in focused on delivering results—not on securing another term.”

According to the 2023 LP flagbearer, Nigeria’s current four-year renewable presidential term encourages leaders to prioritize political survival over national development.

“What people do now is to spend the first year settling in, and the next three preparing for re-election. That has to stop. Come in, do your job, and leave,” he said.

Obi, widely seen as a strong contender for the 2027 presidential election, also pledged that he would serve only one term if elected, adding, “I won’t spend a day longer than four years in office.”

He emphasized his desire to strengthen political institutions, promising to ensure that political parties operate independently of those holding public office.

“I want political parties to be bigger than the president or the governors. That’s the only way to ensure accountability and order,” he said.

In response, Governor Bala Mohammed urged Obi to return to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), saying it remains his natural political home.

“We want you back in the PDP. That is where you belong. Politics in Nigeria can’t succeed if we are divided by ego, personal interests, or past differences,” Mohammed said.

He called on opposition leaders to unite and harmonize their agendas in the interest of the Nigerian people, stressing the need for collective action ahead of the next election cycle.