Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has advised ex-Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi to stop making one-term presidency promises, saying such pledges are unrealistic and unconvincing to Nigerians.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, El-Rufai stated that while both men had promised to serve only one term if elected president in 2027, they should know based on their own experience that four years is not enough to implement real reform.
“Anyone who has governed knows it takes more than four years to make a real difference. People don’t believe those pledges. And honestly, most politicians change their minds once they’re in office,” he said.
Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has repeatedly said he would serve a single term to “reset” Nigeria. Similarly, Amaechi, now in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has expressed willingness to serve only one term to encourage power rotation and political stability.
El-Rufai argued that giving up a constitutional right to a second term doesn’t make sense, calling on all politicians to stop making such promises.
He also clarified that his support for power rotation to the South during the 2023 elections was based on a prior agreement among APC leaders when the party was formed.
He emphasized that zoning remains a political strategy to improve electoral chances.
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