A former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Farouq Aliyu, has downplayed Peter Obi’s promise to serve only one term in office if elected president in the 2027 general elections.
Describing the former governor of Anambra State’s pledges as “Mere rhetoric” and reflective of a limited grasp of Nigeria’s intricate political system, Aliyu said Obi lacks the national leadership experience to make such a commitment credible.
New Telegraph had earlier reported that Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) pledged to serve only one term if elected in 2027, aiming to lay the foundation for a renewed Nigeria.
Reacting to Obi’s comment while speaking on Arise Television on Wednesday, Aliyu criticised the one-term pledge, arguing that managing a state differs significantly from steering a nation as vast and intricate as Nigeria.
“Sometimes when you’re out of the office or when you’re not in the place, you don’t know. To me, it’s just rhetoric, and he’s also trying to convince people.
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“Obi is talking out of ignorance. He doesn’t know. States are different from Nigeria. When you govern a small state, the horizon of a state governor is not as wide as the horizon of a president,” he said.
The former lawmaker also downplayed the strength of the opposition coalition, including the ADC, saying its members, though respected, pose no real threat to the APC.
“We respect them; we admire them as Nigerian leaders, but honestly, they don’t threaten us. All of them are after us. So, we need to spread our tentacles to make sure we pour sand inside their gàárì,” he said
While recognising that certain opposition figures contribute valuable criticism, Aliyu insisted the coalition remains too divided and disorganised to mount any serious challenge to the APC’s dominance in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.
“Whether they are going to give us a run for our money, I don’t think so. It is a conglomeration of presidential candidates. Virtually all leaders of that group want to be president; unfortunately for them, only one person can be president,” he added.
