NDC defends Obi’s single-term pledge, dismisses Okorocha’s ‘gambling’ claim

By Henry Umoru The National Leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC has thrown its weight behind the single-term presidential pledge by its Presidential candidate ahead of January 16 2027. Peter Obi. The NDC described describing it as a constitutional commitment to performance, national stability and leadership accountability rather than a political gamble, adding that Obi had voluntarily offered to serve only one term, subjecting his leadership to public assessment based on results rather than political calculations.

The party noted that Nigeria’s experience with an eight-year presidential administration between 2015 and 2023 demonstrated that longevity in office did not automatically translate into improved governance or national development, adding that the period was characterised by rising inflation, naira depreciation, increasing public debt, widespread poverty and insecurity In a statement signed on Friday by NDC Director-General of the National Presidential Campaign Council, NPCC, Mallam Ibrahim Hussain Abdulkarim, the party disagreed with Okorocha’s characterisation of the pledge as “a four-year gambling”, insisting that the proposal was constitutionally permissible and represented a deliberate commitment to deliver measurable results within four years.

According to him, Section 135(2) of the 1999 Constitution provides for a four-year presidential tenure with the possibility of seeking another term, arguing that the provision does not make a second term compulsory. The leadership of the NDC was reacting to comments by former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he described Obi as “a fantastic gentleman; clear in his head” but questioned the viability of his proposed single-term presidency.

The party maintained that Obi’s single-term proposal was designed to shift the focus of presidential leadership from the duration of stay in office to measurable achievements and effective delivery of campaign promises. Describing the pledge as a performance commitment, He said, “Section 135(2) of the 1999 Constitution provides that a President shall leave office after four years and may seek a further four years.

In law, ‘may’ is permissive, not mandatory. A single term is therefore constitutional. It is not a gamble. “Nigeria already tested an eight-year tenure between 2015 and 2023. The result was rising inflation, a weakened naira, soaring public debt, widespread poverty, and insecurity across the country. That is the real balance sheet of prolonged tenure without performance.

“Peter Obi’s offer is a performance bond, not a gamble. He has pledged to serve one term, to be judged strictly by results, and to hand over power in 2031 in recognition that it is the turn of the North. This is sacrifice for national stability.” The Director-General noted that Nigeria’s governance challenges were not necessarily the result of insufficient time in office, but the failure of successive administrations to utilise available opportunities to deliver meaningful development.

“Leadership is measured by impact, not duration. Nigeria’s problem has never been insufficient time. It has been the repeated failure to use time well. Mr. Obi proposes to reverse that culture: one term dedicated entirely to delivery,” Abdulkarim challenged Nigerians to assess the proposal from the perspective of accountability, insisting that a leader willing to limit his tenure despite being constitutionally eligible for another term was making a significant commitment to national service.

“When a man entitled to eight years voluntarily chooses four and invites the nation to judge him by results, he is not gambling. He is sacrificing,” the statement said. The NDC said that Obi’s proposed single-term presidency should be understood as a time-bound commitment to national recovery and responsible leadership, adding, “This is not a gamble.

It is a rescue mission with a deadline.”