The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed confidence that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will keep his promise to serve only one term if elected president in the 2027 general election.
Speaking during an interview on News Central’s 60 Minutes with Mr Kay, Kwankwaso said there was no reason for Nigerians to doubt Obi’s commitment, noting that the former Anambra State governor had made the promise publicly.
“I personally believe Peter Obi is a gentleman and I have every reason to trust him, especially that he said it to the hearing of everybody. Nobody should have any reason to doubt him,” Kwankwaso said.
He explained that the one-term agreement forms part of the understanding reached by members of the NDC coalition and is based on mutual trust among the political partners.
According to Kwankwaso, allowing the South to complete an eight-year tenure is consistent with the power-sharing arrangement agreed upon by the alliance.
“We believe the southern part of the country should complete its second term and, to the hearing of everybody in this country, I don’t believe any gentleman would want to renege or change his or her mind,” he stated.
The former Kano State governor also said the coalition’s focus goes beyond individual political ambitions, stressing that members have already developed a roadmap for governing the country.
He revealed that the alliance has agreed on short-term, medium-term and long-term plans that would guide whoever eventually emerges as president.
“It does not matter whether it is him from the Obidient side, or my humble self from the Kwankwasiyya side or another side, we believe we have an agenda,” Kwankwaso said.
He added that the coalition would work to ensure continuity of its programmes regardless of who occupies the presidency in the future.
“That agenda, we will as much as possible ensure that whoever comes, maybe Peter, maybe me or any other person, would stick to that programme,” he added.
Kwankwaso’s comments come amid ongoing discussions about the opposition coalition’s strategy ahead of the 2027 presidential election, particularly Peter Obi’s repeated commitment to serving only a single four-year term if elected.
