Presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi has declared that his four-year is sacrosanct if elected president in 2027.
Obi in a statement issued on Sunday reaffirmed his longstanding pledge to serve only one term of four years if elected President of Nigeria.
He also declared that his word is his bond, reiterating his commitment to purposeful leadership over prolonged rule.
Referencing global figures such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela, Obi emphasised that great leadership is not measured by the number of years in office, but by the quality and impact of service.
According to him, Mandela served one term and walked away. That was leadership. Power must serve the people, not the self.
Obi acknowledged the widespread scepticism among Nigerians towards political promises, noting that public trust has eroded over decades of unfulfilled pledges.
He added: “I am fully aware that the decay in our society has made trust one of the scarcest and most sceptically viewed commodities.”
He addressed recent jibes aimed at his vow, after a critic suggested that even a shrine-bound oath would not earn him public belief, while another implied that anyone insisting on a single term should undergo psychiatric evaluation.
Obi dismissed both remarks, stating that such cynicism reflects a political culture where broken promises are the norm.
He defended his political record in Anambra State, where he said he fulfilled campaign promises on education, healthcare, rural infrastructure, and financial prudence.
Obi noted: “They judge me by their own standards, but Peter Obi is not cut from that cloth. I did not swear by a shrine, nor have I been certified mentally unstable as a result of honouring my word.
“I maintain without equivocation: if elected, I will not spend a day longer than four years in office.
Forty-eight months is enough for any leader who is focused and prepared to make a meaningful difference.”
Obi reiterated that his goal is to transform Nigeria from a consuming nation into a productive one, anchored on agriculture, technology, and manufacturing.