Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has reaffirmed his promise to hold office for just one four-year term.
The promise was initially made by Obi in June at a packed X Space session called #PeterObiOnParallelFacts, which attracted thousands of live listeners.
But there have been conflicting responses to the one-term pledge, with many people doubting his sincerity.
The former governor of Anambra State reiterated his unwavering commitment to serving just one term in a post on his X handle on Sunday.
“In my political life, my word is my bond…My vow to serve only one term of four years is a solemn commitment, rooted in my conviction that purposeful, transparent leadership does not require an eternity,” he said.
The current governor of Obi’s home state, Chukwuma Soludo, recently questioned the rationale behind vows by some politicians to serve only one term, saying such “needs psychiatric examination.”
In response, however, Obi said that those doubting his one-term vow are merely judging him by their own standards.
“Recently, I became aware of two statements aimed, albeit indirectly, at my vow to serve only a single four-year term. One person remarked that even if I swore by a shrine, I still wouldn’t be believed. Another suggested that anyone talking about doing only one term should undergo psychiatric evaluation.
“I understand the basis of their scepticism. They are judging me by their own standards – where political promises are made to be broken. But they forget, or perhaps choose to ignore, that Peter Obi is not cut from that cloth. I have a verifiable track record that speaks louder than speculation.
“If making such a promise qualifies me for psychiatric evaluation, then we may as well question the mental fitness of those who framed our Constitution, which clearly stipulates a four-year renewable tenure.
“I maintain without equivocation: if elected, I will not spend a day longer than four years in office. In fact, I believe that service should be impactful, not eternal.”
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Rose Ajieh
